Apple wireless headphones are popular, and the Cupertino-based manufacturer has also made this class of devices popular. But the Californians are faced with the problem that the competition has long since caught up and is offering quality earbuds at lower prices. Apple might respond.
Apple currently has four different models of its AirPods on offer: the second and third-generation AirPods, the second-generation AirPods Pro, and the AirPods Max over-ear headphones.
The cheapest Apple headphones from this series are available for 159 euros, That's a lot of money for an entry-level model - the Pro version costs a whopping 299 euros from Apple.
The competition has long since reacted and offers headphones that are in no way inferior to those from Apple but are much cheaper. And that is also the reason why the Californian manufacturer is slowly having problems.
AirPods demand will fall
According to Jeff Pu, an analyst at Haitong Intl Tech Research, his industry sources expect AirPods demand to fall significantly this year - from 73 million units sold last year to 63 million in 2023 due to the moderate interest in the device the AirPods 3 and also the fact that Apple may not release any new AirPods this year.
As 9to5Mac reports, according to Pu, Apple is therefore working on a new entry-level version of its headphones, which it (unofficially) calls AirPods Lite.
It is currently not known what the new entry-level headphones could offer, the only thing that is clear at the moment is that, according to industry insiders, it should be a "cheaper product" that should compete with cheaper AirPods alternatives.
In the US, the cheapest AirPods currently cost $129 (before tax, mind you), which is why you would have to undercut this price, in the best case Apple would then reach a double-digit price like $99.