A new superficial rumor based on some images of what could be new hardware for the next generation of AirPods Pro has emerged. Speculation about two sizes for AirPods Pro 2 comes from Mr white. He doesn’t have a very reliable track record, but he had access to unreleased Apple hardware and predicted some things correctly in the past.
Second generation AirPods Pro hardware rumors
Mr. White is exhibiting what he says are AirPods Pro components here and the cable length is noticeably different between the two components on the left that could be for second generation AirPods Pro. The two on the right, which are roughly the same size, appear to be the same components as the existing AirPods Pro.
Mr. White does not seem very convinced, but offers speculation that the new AirPods Pro could come in two sizes. It also includes an image that shows the chip used as W2.
Bloomberg released a report in October that said Apple is “planning” to make the new AirPods Pro smaller by removing the stem and opting for a more rounded shape and better fit. However, we have not heard other reports about them coming in two sizes so far.
Possibilities of AirPods Pro 2
One possibility here is that Mr. White has got his hands on a hardware prototype that will not necessarily make it into production. Bloomberg warned that Apple could opt for a “less ambitious” design than it expects for the AirPods Pro 2 due to the difficulty of packing antennas, ANC, microphones, etc. in a more compact format.
And with AirPods Pro already coming with ear tips of various sizes and a fit in the ear, it is unclear how valuable two sizes of next generation AirPods Pro would be. But there is always a chance that there is something in Mr. White’s idea.
Another possibility is that different sized hardware may be for the redesigned AirPods 3 and potentially smaller AirPods Pro 2.
As for the mention of the W2 chip, AirPods Pro (AirPods and AirPods Max) use the H1 chip, which is the successor to the W1 chip used in older AirPods. We haven’t seen a W2 chip yet, so it may be that Mr. White is predicting the next generation AirPods Pro stick with the H1 based on his “Still W2 Chips” comment.
AirPods Pro 2 in black?
Another interesting rumor is Mr. White’s answer to a question about the AirPods Pro 2 coming in black. Again, this is probably just speculation, but certainly something that many are interested in. Mr. White did not elaborate on why he thinks black is not a good fit for AirPods.
It is a good idea to accept Mr. White’s speculation with a grain of salt. He definitely has a complicated history. For example, he got his hands on the Apple 20 W power adapter before it launched this year, but incorrectly predicted that it would ship with the iPhone 12. Of course, now we know that Apple has stopped including a power adapter and sells the new 20 W model separately.
Mr. White, along with others, also shared photos of an unreleased twisted Lightning cable that some thought could arrive with the iPhone 12. That hasn’t been released, at least not yet.
Apple’s next generation AirPods and AirPods Pro are expected to launch in 2021. Stay up to date on everything we know about AirPods with our guide here.
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