Apple’s planning to release an updated version of its popular AirPods this year, 2 years after the wireless headphones made its debut besides the iPhone 7. The newer version is apparently going to be blessed with an upgraded wireless chip.
People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the so-called AirPods 2 is internally known as B288. The new wireless chip will be in charge of Bluetooth connectivity. To recall, the very first AirPods had a W1 SoC inside it. The W2 was later packed inside the Apple Watch Series 3.
Other than better connectivity, the AirPods will also likely boast of a more seamless way to wake up Siri. Instead of tapping on the headphones, users will be able to summon the digital assistant by simply saying “Hey Siri.” Apple already allows this on iPhones and HomePods, so it’s a natural step forward.
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These changes might not be enough for people to upgrade though, which may be why Apple is also looking to launch an even better version in 2019. The AirPods 3 are apparently going to be equipped with water resistance.
This is a great idea, as no one wants their expensive wireless headphones to fall apart at the first sign of moisture. The AirPods 3 will supposedly only shield itself from splashes of water and rain though. It probably won’t be able to survive being dunked in water. This is on par with recent iPhones, but not as good as the Apple Watch which can even be taken swimming.
Of course, Apple’s plans could change between now and the future, so there’s no guarantee all these updates will come to pass. We’ll watch out for more clues in the meantime.