Drastic Apple AirPods redesign could ditch iconic features

What's that we hear? Why, it's the sound of the latest Apple AirPods rumours – and it all sounds pretty dramatic indeed. The second-generation of the AirPods Pro are on their way, as are the the third-generation of Apple's original earbuds and it seems there is an abundance of exciting changes and updates on the cards – including fitness tracking, drastic changes to the stems and even new colour variations (gasp). 

It's been a hot minute since the original AirPods last had a facelift, since 2019 in fact. And the AirPods Pro have also been around since then with no update either, so this development feels overdue. If you need a new pair of 'pods, be sure to keep an eye on our Apple Amazon Prime Day deals post and our general best Apple deals post, both of which could nab you a bargain.

According to a Bloomberg report, Apple has big plans for the next version of the AirPods 3, which could be released as soon as this year. The new incarnation could mimic the current design of the AirPods Pro, meaning the recognisable stems could be shortened. And, perhaps unsurprisingly due to Apple's recent foray into rainbow-hued products (but a drastic change none the less), there are also whispers of a new range of colours (pastel, we assume). This would certainly make a bold statement since the AirPods are famously only available in that iconic white. 

But not to be outdone, it's the AirPods Pro design that will take things one step further. Where the AirPods 3 may have shorter stems, the Pro could ditch the shaft altogether, in a redesign that'll presumably have them looking more like other earbuds on the market. No stems and a potential choice of colours? All this would certainly be a huge step away from the most well-known features in the earbud universe so we're sure Apple has big plans to keep things on-brand.

Finally, the AirPods Pro 2 are reported to have motion and fitness tracking – a game-changing feature that'll have them competing with the best running headphones around. Want more options? Try our guide to the best wireless headphones and see the deals below.

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