It is widely expected that Apple will launch two new AirPods this year, including successors to the mainstream models and the Pro. Commonly referred to as AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 in reports to differentiate them from current generation models, the new wireless earphones will likely be sold under the existing AirPods and AirPods Pro brands. These aren’t products that are updated every year like the iPhone, so Apple probably won’t be using a numbering scheme for future models.
Names aside, there’s no indication when the AirPods 3 will finally launch, but we’ve just received more evidence that Apple is working on a new pair of more affordable wireless earbuds. In a bizarre twist, counterfeiters from China released fake AirPods 3 before Apple launched the real one, but the design is believed to be accurate.
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AirPods imitations are nothing new. They’ve been on the market for years and these knock-offs look so good that buyers who get AirPods and AirPods Pro from unauthorized retailers should be extra careful not to buy a fake instead of the original.
With the AirPods 3 appearing in videos online, there is no original to compare them to. But the AirPods 3 below is a lot like the AirPods Pro that Apple is currently selling. A leak a few weeks ago from a reliable source showed us alleged images of the new AirPods 3:
Several rumors claim that Apple is adopting the Pro design for the upcoming AirPods 3 model. The earphones have a smaller stem, just like the Pros. The charging case won’t be as big as the original AirPods design, but it will be wider just like the AirPods Pro case. Unlike the Pros, the new AirPods 3 don’t have removable tips and don’t support active noise cancellation.
AirPods 3 counterfeit products pic.twitter.com/2uLzqzWPVi
– DuanRui (@ duanrui1205) April 8, 2021
The clip above, first posted to TikTok in China, shows the new AirPods 3 knock-offs, which look exactly like what we expect from the real product, assuming previous AirPods 3 leaks were true.
It is unclear who made these fake AirPods 3, where they are available and how much they cost. The company that created these fakes likely had access to some sort of insider knowledge for the design – or they just rely on leaks to fool customers.
Counterfeit AirPods 3 coming from China is not necessarily an indication that the authentic product will be available soon. While the new AirPods are expected to arrive this spring, well-known leaker Ming-Chi Kuo recently said the new AirPods won’t go into mass production until the third quarter of 2021. unhindered access to supply chain information.
The first-generation AirPods were launched in late 2016, and the second-generation model was released in mid-March 2019. The AirPods Pro were then released in late October 2019.
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Chris Smith started writing about gadgets as a hobby and before he knew it, he was sharing his thoughts on tech matters with readers around the world. When not writing about gadgets, he sadly fails to stay away from them, although he desperately tries. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.