Apple has reported that it is working on launching a ‘Lite’ version of AirPods Pro. This latest version of the company’s popular TWS earbuds comes without its popular feature of active noise cancellation and is expected to release at a lower price point.
The Cupertino-based giant is working on such a device to expand its presence in the market for wireless earphones, which has risen tremendously in recent times, according to the Elec article. The report notes that the AirPods Pro’s Lite version will be introduced sometime within the first half of next year without the noise cancelling feature. At the moment, through a domestic materials partner, the firm is creating a system-in-package (SiP) product containing ‘H1’, an AirPod audio driver chip.
The current SiP has a rounded shape, while a basic square style is expected to feature the forthcoming Lite version. According to the paper, quality verification is scheduled to take place within this year and production is to commence in 2021. The price of these new listenables would be about 20 percent greater than the costs of the AirPods Pro that comes with the active noise cancelling tech, as per a source near to the matter.
Probably, Apple had originally intended to launch the AirPods Pro Lite directly after the AirPods Pro Foundation. The demand and popularity of the latter, however, exceeded expectations, forcing the business to postpone the product in order to increase its revenue and margins. In the audio market, Apple is one of the most common brands, so the decision to launch a more affordable AirPods will only help its position in the industry.