Rumors Float Claiming AirPods 2 Are Still Coming This Year

Chris Smith, BGR:

A few weeks ago, Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo said that the AirPods 2 would launch either in late 2018 or early next year. Now we have a Samsung insider making a similar claim. “Ice Universe”, who’s a constant source of rumors, mostly related to Samsung mobile devices, said on Twitter that “Apple will definitely launch AirPods 2 this year”.

Anything is possible, but I’d find it a bit strange if Apple released new AirPods this year. If they were going to be ready for the holidays, why wouldn’t they have announced them at the event in Brooklyn two weeks ago? Why would they release a holiday gift guide listing the current AirPods as the second item on the list?

People are already buying holiday gifts, and gift-buying reaches its manic peak next week with Black Friday. People who are buying $160 AirPods now — on Apple’s own recommendation — would be justifiably angry if AirPods 2 come out before the holidays.

And what about inductive charging? Last year Apple promised a new charging case for AirPods that would work with the still-missing-don’t-talk-about-it AirPower charging mat. I don’t think they were going to use the Qi standard for that, but instead something proprietary like Apple Watch uses. If they still plan on supporting this, would they launch new AirPods now even while AirPower is totally missing? How do you launch AirPods with inductive charging without a way to inductively charge them? And if they still plan on shipping AirPower in the even vaguely near future, would they ship new AirPods without support for it?

★ Thursday, 15 November 2018