New AirPods Leaked, Set For Release This Year Per ‘BGR’ [Rumor]

Apple has likely had enough of companies making cheap knockoffs of their new and iconic AirPods — Apple’s flagship wireless earphones. Cheaper third party alternatives have been filling a vacuum left by Apple’s failure to release the next generation of AirPods, a product line that has long been anticipated by professional pundits and anxious consumers.

It seems they Apple is finally getting ready to take the wraps off of their next iteration of the portable earbuds, presumably to be called AirPods 2. And while Apple has had nothing official to say about the matter, BGR reports on one leak produced by an insider who has provided unsubstantiated — and definitely unauthorized — images.

“Anonymous Twitter user ‘Mr. White’ has been sharing photos of unreleased products and components for years now, but he still manages to fly under the radar most of the time. Despite the fact that he’s not as well-known as some other gadget leakers, his leaks almost always end up being genuine. Early Wednesday morning, Mr. White posted two photos that show dozens of stacked AirPods cases. Though he posted no text along with the photos, his reputation suggested that the images show the unreleased second-generation version of Apple’s AirPods.”

Unfortunately, there is nothing about the AirPod cases in these images to distinguish them from from the current AirPods. That permits Apple fans to speculate that little has changed about the shape and size. There is still some hope that Apple will do something that might help to improve the fit for those who find it difficult to keep the smooth teardrops in place.

There were also no details about whether these AirPods charge wirelessly. At last year’s WWDC, Apple announced on stage that they were going to be releasing a new case for the AirPods, one that could provide a wireless charging option. Of course, this was in conjunction to their announcement of the AirPower charging mat — a product that would ostensibly be able to charge an iPhone, a set of AirPods, and an Apple Watch all at once. Having been a no-show for almost a year and a half, many have written the AirPower unit off as vaporware.

However, technically, Apple could still meet its self-imposed deadline of “next year” by getting it out the door before 2018 is over. That fact alone adds credence to the idea that this rumor is true, and that new AirPods will indeed arrive just in time to become highly sought after stocking stuffers.

There is also no word as to prospective price point or feature set as yet, casting some semblance of doubt on the rumors.