Despite a lot of criticism, Apple AirPods are widely accepted wearables in the company's portfolio. Owing to the growing popularity of those tiny earphones, which inspired many companies to launch similar accessories, Apple is looking to bring some nifty upgrades to this year's AirPods.
If you've been holding out on buying the AirPods since they were first released in late 2016, it might be worthwhile to wait a bit longer. According to a Bloomberg report on Thursday, people familiar with the company's plans have revealed crucial details about the upcoming AirPods in 2018 as well as 2019.
The 2018 AirPods refresh is expected to bring the ability to activate Siri just by voice. The current models require the wearer to physically tap the AirPod in the ear. If the report is true, soon you'll be able to wake Siri just by saying those magic words – "Hey Siri" – and command your way to carry out various operations.
The report also revealed that Apple is calling the unannounced headphones as B288 internally. The sources told the publication that another valuable upgrade making its way to the 2018 AirPods is the new Apple wireless chip for improved Bluetooth connections between gadgets. Apple's chips for wearables follow a "W" series, so it's likely the W2 chipset from the Apple Watch last year or an entirely new W3 will power the AirPods.
Sure, the 2018 AirPods are going to much better than the current ones. It's one reason for you to wait. But Bloomberg's revelation puts us in a tough situation by revealing confidential information about Apple's 2019 plans for AirPods upgrade.
It's true that 2019 AirPods refresh is a long way from now. In fact, don't expect this year's upgrades to come anytime before September, which is when Apple upgrades the whole wearable portfolio, which was the second-largest contributor to Apple's revenue after iPhone and jumped almost 70 percent last year, Apple Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri said earlier this month.
2019 AirPods spoilers
Bloomberg further reports that the 2019 AirPods will have a water-resistance capability, which will protect the earpieces against "splashes of water and rain". That's one less worry for AirPod users besides the fear of losing them.
In the same report, Bloomberg was quick enough to note that these plans could easily change between now and then. But it will be a welcoming change for end users.
Apple's AirPods are expected to grow two folds this year. Known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo noted that Apple is expected to ship 26-28 million units compared to 13-14 million units shipped in 2017.
