New AirPods and AirPods Pro coming next year, says DigiTimes

A new report from DigiTimes says Apple's supply chain is gearing up to launch new AirPods in the first half of 2021, and new AirPods Pro in the second half the year.

According to the report:

Apple is scheduled to roll out its third-generation AirPods series earbuds in the first half of 2021 followed by the launch of a new-generation AirPods Pro in the second half of next year, with related assemblers gearing up for production at their plants in Vietnam, according to industry sources.

The new follows a recent June report from Ming-Chi Kuo, claiming that Apple's third-generation AirPods will look like the AirPods Pro, and will debut in the first half of 2021. From that report:

According to a new research note for TF International Securities and picked up by MacRumors, the AirPods will sport the same in-ear design that we've become accustomed to with AirPods Pro, but without the upgraded features such as active noise cancellation and such. That will allow an AirPods Pro-like appearance but without the beefy $249 asking price.

It seems likely Apple will adopt the smaller, more compact format of its AirPods Pro, but that 'Pro' features like noise-canceling will be left to the more premium model.

We have heard decidedly less about new AirPods Pro save a rough release estimate of next year.

Digitimes reported back in April that new AirPods Pro were delayed to as late as 2021. Recent reports that future AirPods might feature ambient light sensors, which could indicate a shifting focus towards health, allowing for the tracking of heart rate or temperature.