Apple working on AirPods Lite, claims analyst

Apple is reportedly working on an affordable version of AirPods with an aim to compete with cheaper true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones. The earphones may be called “AirPods Lite”. Citing industry sources, analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong Intl Tech Research (via 9to5Mac) claimed that Apple may see a fall in AirPods demand this year. He attributed the decline due to “soft AirPods 3 demand” and the fact that the iPhone maker may not release new AirPods this year. The so-called AirPods Lite will compete with affordable TWS earbuds from the likes of Samsung, Jabra, Sony and Nothing.
The analyst claims that the demand may fall from 73 million units in 2022 to 63 million in 2023. He added that the company is working on affordable earbuds to attract more customers. Pu, however, did not delve out any information, such as its features or design, about the product but he said that the product is a “lower priced product” to compete with non-Apple earbuds. The report is not clear on the launch timeline.

How much AirPods Lite may be priced at
Apple launched the AirPods 3 in 2021 but it kept the previous generation AirPods 2 available in stores at a price of $129. The AirPods 3 currently cost $169. It is presumed that the “AirPods Lite” will cost less than $129 or Apple may further reduce the price of the second generation AirPods, perhaps to $99, to accommodate the affordable version.
Apple AirPods lineup
Apple currently sells a range of earphones. These include AirPods 2nd generation, AirPods 3rd generation, AirPods Pro 2nd generation and AirPods Max. The second generation of AirPods Pro are claimed to offer better noise cancellation and a new charging case with the U1 chip for Precision Finding.

Last month, a report by market research firm Canalys said that Apple (including Beats) defended its top position with the second-generation AirPods Pro launch. The earphones helped the company register a 34% increase in shipments and a 31% market share.