Kuo: New AirPods Max and $99 AirPods to Launch as Early as Next Year

Mass shipments of second-generation AirPods Max and more affordable AirPods will likely begin in the second half of 2024 or the first half of 2025, according to the latest information shared by Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a series of tweets today, Kuo said Apple is aiming for a $99 price for the more affordable standard AirPods. Currently, the $129 second-generation AirPods are the cheapest option from Apple, while the third-generation AirPods are priced at $169 with a Lightning charging case and at $179 with a MagSafe case. This is the second time lower-priced AirPods have been rumored in as many weeks following a prediction from analyst Jeff Pu.

Kuo did not offer any additional details about the new AirPods Max. Apple's premium over-ear noise canceling headphones were first released in December 2020 for $549, and we've previously outlined new features that would make sense for the next-generation pair, such as a USB-C port instead of Lightning, improved noise cancelation, longer battery life, new color options, a U1 chip for Precision Finding in the Find My app, and more.