Reports from the supply chain suggest that Apple may release a third generation of AirPods with noise cancellation before the end of 2019. Despite waiting over two years between the original AirPods and 2019's AirPods 2, Apple is believed to be preparing a further generation of the wireless headphones for release later in 2019. The major new feature of "AirPods 3" is said to be noise cancellation. According to DigiTimes, industry sources are reporting that the "AirPods 3" will be brought forward from their previously-rumored 2020 launch date. "To meet challenges from rivals, Apple and its supply chain partners are looking to raise the bar by adding new features to AirPods 3," says DigiTimes, quoting unnamed sources, "including the noise cancellation function." These sources also say that noise cancellation will affect battery life, and offsetting that it is particularly difficult to achieve in devices as small as AirPods. "On the one hand, semiconductor devices can hardly work without suffering electromagnetic disturbance," quotes DigiTimes, and on the other hand how the structural design of the noise forward feedback microphone can be done well to achieve harmonious operation with other devices is a great challenge for designers and assemblers." Those assemblers are claimed to be the same ones currently making AirPods. Luxshare was recently reported to be involved in the bi-directional Qi charging that's is predicted to allow the 2019 iPhone refresh to charge other devices wirelessly. Rumors of noise cancellation do not preclude the previously rumored extra health features coming to AirPods 3, however they may be planned for some later generation.<doc-sep>Apple AirPods rumors are like weeds, just when you thought you’ve cleared your yard of them, another one pops up. Such was the case today when we caught wind of the new Apple AirPods 3 in a report corroborated by analysts. The original report, which came from DigiTimes, said that the third-generation of Apple AirPods will arrive by the end of 2019 and will actually pack the features we believed the second-generation headphones would have like noise-cancellation and water-proof casing. Shortly after that news broke, an analyst (TF International Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo) told 9to5Mac that he expects another two models to join the line-up either in late 2019 or early 2020. One of these models would be another incremental update on the second-gen AirPods that just came out, while the other would be something more substantial - i.e. the Apple AirPods 3. Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘How can there possibly, possibly be more rumors about a pair of headphones that just came out a few weeks ago?’ To be honest, I’m not sure... but there are. PSA: Predictions can be wrong Here’s where it’s our job to point out that predictions, rumors and conjecture can be (and often are) wrong. It’s not that analysts and journalists - ourselves included - aren’t providing the best data we have, we are, but sometimes internal deadlines shift and entire products end up on the chopping block. With all that being said, you should take rumors with a grain of salt - especially when they involve the most popular products that everyone wants to know more about. The counterpoint to this is that, sometimes, rumors are accurate and they can be a good way of starting a conversation about the next-generation of technology. Without direct confirmation from Apple the veracity of these rumors won’t be determined today, but in Kuo's and DigiTime’s defense, the rumors of noise-cancelling AirPods have been floating around for over a year now and at some point are bound to be true - even if the expected release date slips further back. To a certain extent we’ll get some of these features in the new PowerBeats Pro that are due out shortly and are both sweat-resistant and mildly noise-isolating according to the folks that tried them at a private Apple press event.<doc-sep>Apple unveiled the AirPods 2 last month, and a few days later it surprised us all with the Powerbeats Pro true wireless earbuds. But a new report says the iPhone maker isn’t stopping here when it comes to launching new wireless earphones. According to multiple reports, Apple plans to release third-generation AirPods by the end of the year, complete with new features. Related stories Apple's iPhone XS beats every top Android phone in 'portrait mode' shootout Video leak shows Apple's iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max designs side by side Apple's turn-around time for MacBook Pro repairs just got faster Sources said to be familiar with the matter have told Digitimes that AirPods 3 will feature noise cancellation support. The pair of wireless earbuds is expected to start selling by the end of 2019. Taiwan’s Inventec is expected to be the main assembler of AirPods 3, with some orders going to Luxshare Precision — the two suppliers currently share AirPods 2 orders. Apple is supposedly looking to raise the bar to meet challenges from rivals, and that’s why it’s creating new features for the AirPods 3 model including the noise cancellation function. The report notes that several smartphone makers, including Huawei and Xiaomi, as well as other tech companies, including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, are working on their own wireless headphones. Noise cancellation isn’t a new feature for headphones, the report notes, but it’s a technology that’s “hard to harness” in cord-free earbuds, according to Digitimes. On the one hand, semiconductor devices can hardly work without suffering electromagnetic disturbance, and on the other hand, how the structural design of the noise forward feedback microphone can be done well to achieve harmonious operation with other devices is a great challenge for designers and assemblers. The report also says that noise cancellation will consume more power, which is something Apple will have to address. Story continues Interestingly, Digitimes says that the AirPods 3’s design will make assembly a more complicated job. It’s unclear from this report whether the earphones will have a different look than the previous two models. But Digitimes isn’t the only source claiming new AirPods hardware is on the way. Well-known Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo also said in a note to investors (via 9to5Mac) that Apple will launch two new AirPods models in the fourth quarter of 2019. He says one of these models will look exactly like AirPods 2 and keep the same price point, while the second would offer a new form factor, and it’ll cost more. Kuo hasn’t revealed details about any new AirPods 3 features, but he did say that Apple will change how both models are manufactured, moving to a system-in-package design that can improve yields, save space, and lower costs. Sign up for BGR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. BGR Top Deals: Trending Right Now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com<doc-sep>Digitimes today reports that Apple is working with assemblers and suppliers to ready a third generation ‘AirPods 3’ by the end of this year. This is not the first rumor of this ilk. AirPods 2 with wireless charging case debuted in March, and even before then there were publications claiming there would be separate spring and fall AirPods refreshes. Digitimes says the primary feature of the late 2019 AirPods will be noise cancellation. Like AirPods 2, AirPods 3 are expected to be manufactured by Inventec and Luxshare Precision. Digitimes shaky track record when it comes to Apple reporting is well-known, having just recently promised that the cancelled AirPower mat was only a week away from launching. However, other sources have been saying the same thing regarding two rounds of new AirPods hardware this year. For example, in February, OnLeaks said that the AirPods wireless charging case would release soon, but AirPods with new features like noise cancellation and a black color option would debut in the fall. The second-gen March AirPods did come with some new minor features apart from the charging case, but the general narrative lines up all the same. Mark Gurman at Bloomberg previously reported that new AirPods would highlight noise cancellation and water resistance features. In a tweet, he said he ‘imagined’ that this revision has been pushed back to the 2020 timeframe. It’s still not clear how Apple will engineer a small earbud-sized product with noise cancellation capabilities, as it has extreme constraints on physical design and battery capacity. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:<doc-sep>
DigiTimes reports this morning that Apple is set to launch third-generation AirPods with a noise cancelation function by the end of the year, a claim at odds with rumors that Apple's ‌AirPods‌ 3 have been pushed back to 2020. Apple is reportedly set to release its third-generation ‌AirPods‌ for sales by the end of 2019, with the new wireless earphones to incorporate a noise cancellation function. And Taiwan's Inventec reportedly will be the major assembler of ‌AirPods‌ 3, while China's Luxshare Precision will also grab part of the orders for the new device, according to industry sources. Today's report claims that Apple will fend off competition from rival brands of true wireless earbuds by including a noise-canceling function in its third-generation ‌AirPods‌, although doing so could throw up new design and assembly challenges. The sources said that noise cancellation is not a new technology, but a technology hard to harness. On the one hand, semiconductor devices can hardly work without suffering electromagnetic disturbance, and on the other hand how the structural design of the noise forward feedback microphone can be done well to achieve harmonious operation with other devices is a great challenge for designers and assemblers. In addition, earphones with noise-cancellation function will consume more power than those without, and it remains to be seen how Apple will do to reduce power consumption, the sources indicated. Taiwan's Inventec is said to be uniquely positioned to meet the production challenges of ‌AirPods‌ 3, thanks to its extensive assembly experiences, giving the manufacturer a better chance of winning assembly orders from Apple than China's Luxshare Precision. As it stands, the assemblers command an equal share of orders for ‌AirPods‌ 2, which launched just last month. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also claimed that Apple's third-generation ‌AirPods‌ could include noise cancellation features, as well as a new design, and perhaps improved water resistance that will allow the ‌AirPods‌ to hold up to "splashes of water and rain." However, Gurman believes that ‌AirPods‌ 3 won't be coming until 2020, based on his understanding that Apple's second-generation ‌AirPods‌ were delayed by a year, which has pushed back the earbuds' launch cycle. Apple released ‌AirPods‌ 2 in March with optional wireless charging and hands-free Siri functionality. For all the details on what's different between the first-gen and second-gen ‌AirPods‌ models, check out our dedicated comparison guide.