Air Pods Pro on stageSource: Rene Ritchie / iMore

What you need to know

  • Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says AirPods Pro will get an update next year.
  • Other details aren't clear, but Kuo does expect sales to boom.

Apple will launch new AirPods Pro earbuds in 2022 according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a research note seen by iMore, the analyst says that Apple's earbuds business will be boosted by AirPods Pro sales during the year.

Kuo says that while Apple's AirPods business will "decline in the short term (2H21–1H22)" he expects that to be rectified by the second half of the year. Short term, however, lower than expected demand is thought to mean Apple will ship up to 75 million units which is 10 million down on the previous prediction.

In terms of AirPods as a whole, Kuo says that he expects Apple to ship more than 100 million units in 2022, even if the new products don't feature an "innovative experience." Such an experience has been talked about before — previous reports have suggested some form of health tracking could be added to AirPods Pro specifically.

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Apple's AirPods Pro refresh is due, as is a new pair of AirPods. Apple's mid-range earbuds are rumored for a refresh before the end of the year. You don't have to wait that long to get some though, and right now you can save some money as well. Just make sure to check out our collection of the best AirPods deals before you place your order.

Apple will hold an iPhone event this September, all being well. With Apple Watch and iPad updates also possible we could be in for a busy last few months of 2021.