The AirPods 3 were tipped to make an appearance at the "California Streaming" Apple event on Sept. 14, but they were noticeably absent from the livestream. The Cupertino-tech giant combed over the fine details of its brand-spankin' new iPhone 13, the 9th Gen iPad (and iPad mini 6), and the Watch Series 7, but nothing was in store for audiophiles crossing their fingers for an AirPods update.
The AirPods 3 rumor stemmed from Ming-Chi Kuo, a renowned Apple analyst well-known for his leaks. According to Apple Track, Kuo has a 76% accuracy rate, but with the AirPods 3 missing in action at "California Streaming," it looks like his record just took another hit.
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AirPods 3 was MIA at Apple's 'California Streaming' event
As we reported on Monday, Kuo claimed that the third-generation AirPods were set to be announced at the Sept. 14 Apple event, according to an investors' note obtained by MacRumors.
Kuo explained that two scenarios were possible. In the first, Apple makes the AirPods 3 more expensive than the AirPods 2. In the second, Apple reduces the price of the current-gen AirPods and sells the AirPods 3 at $199 (the current price point of the AirPods 2). In both scenarios, Apple keeps the AirPods 2 in the lineup for fans who prefer the predecessor.
However, Kuo was wrong. Apple did not reveal the AirPods 3 at the 'California Streaming' event. Sure, it's possible that the Cupertino-based tech giant may reveal the third-generation AirPods at another event this year. However, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (who's known for having enviable Apple sources), there's one more event coming this year, and it's likely reserved for the new MacBooks.
There will be two events, and I’d expect the latter to be Mac + iPad. iPhone/Watch Tuesday. https://t.co/xfAjhUkigCSeptember 12, 2021
If the AirPods update gets neglected this year, it'd be a shame. The beloved music earbuds are long overdue for an upgrade. The last time they were refreshed was March 2019.
Leaked images of the AirPods 3 show that they will sport a similar design language to the AirPods Pro, but don't expect in-demand features like active-noise cancellation. This will be reserved for the Pro and AirPods Max lines. There are conflicting rumors on whether the AirPods 3 will include silicone ear tips. Alleged renders shared in March depicted the AirPods 3 without them while another set of leaked images show the third-generation earbuds with them.
As with all rumors, only time will tell if they're true. In the meantime, check out our report on the most reliable leakers to get insight on who has the real scoop on Big Tech.
