Hollis Johnson/Business Insider
Apple's ubiquitous AirPods.
- Apple's got a new, improved set of AirPods in the works, according to a new Bloomberg report.
- The new AirPods represent the first major update to the AirPods since they first launched in December 2016.
- The expected improvement include water-resistance and noise-cancellation technology. Those additions are said to up the overall price as well, somewhere above the current price of $160.
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One of Apple's most successful new products in years is AirPods, the sleek wireless earphones that have become ubiquitous.
In 2019, it sounds like Apple plans to unveil the first major update to the AirPods, featuring water-resistance and noise-cancellation.
That's according to a new report from Bloomberg, which also points to a 2020 launch window and a higher price tag for the next-generation AirPods.
Read more: Apple is expected to launch 3 new iPhones this year - here's everything we know so far
Technically speaking, Apple already updated its AirPods in 2019.
The second-generation AirPods, seen above, added "Hey Siri" functionality and a longer battery life. Apple also introduced a wireless charging case as an additional option for an extra $40.
This more iterative approach, which kept the look and $160 price of the original AirPods, reportedly isn't being abandoned with the third-generation AirPods.
According to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with TF International Securities, a more subtle update to AirPods will also arrive alongside the upgraded pair. These AirPods will retain a lower asking price, but are unlikely to feature water-resistance and noise-cancellation - they are expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2020 alongside the more heavily updated AirPods.
