Apple announced the third generation of AirPods, after releasing the AirPods 2 two years ago, alongside the new MacBook Pro 2021 earlier this week, claiming they will be a “game changer” for music fans.
And while many Apple fans might be pleased with the latest addition to the family, are the newest AirPods something that will pull in the serious audiophiles, or are they just another pair of earbuds available to the mass market?
Keep reading to find out what our two experts have to say.
Are the AirPods 3 a big enough upgrade to improve the brand’s true wireless market share?
“Adding AirPods 3 helps Apple deliver a classic ‘good, better, best’ portfolio and will be attractive to consumers and retailers,” Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, told Trusted Reviews.
“AirPods are already the market leader and this will merely consolidate its already strong position.”
The newest AirPods sport quite a different look from previous generations, with shorter stems and a tip-less design.
Anisha Bhatia. senior analyst at GlobalData, told Trusted Reviews the firm’s decision to lower the older AirPods 2 will further increase Apple’s true wireless dominance.
“Apple discounted the AirPods 2, so along with the new AirPods 3, Apple has an expanded hearables portfolio, which should help improve market share,” said Bhatia.
Despite their positive reactions, neither analysts saw the new AirPods causing much of a stir in the audiophile market.
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How do you see them performing in the audiophile/serious listener market?
“I would say that the audiophile/serious listener market would be skewed a lot more premium, and would expect active noise cancelling in any headphone, which is missing in the AirPods 3,” Bhatia went on to say.
The only earbuds from Apple that feature ANC currently are the AirPods Pro and the AirPods Max, which sit at £249 and £549, respectively.
“It is always going to be hard to get true audiophiles to buy into mass-market products,” Wood mentioned.
“But there is now doubt that Apple is trying to offer a broad set of choices – with entry-level products starting at $129 and a halo product with the AirPods Max with a lot more features and capabilities.”
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
