According to TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will update the majority of its audio products now that it has released the second-generation HomePod, but not until the second half of 2024.
While the updated HomePod’s debut by Apple on February 3, 2023, was largely unexpected, there have been persistent rumors of further products including a second-generation HomePod mini. Now Kuo claims that he anticipates a HomePod mini 2 to be released, but not for at least a year.
Second-generation HomePod mini will arrive next year
In a tweet, Kuo revealed that Apple will refresh some of its audio products in 2024. His prediction is based on his surveys of Apple’s supply chain.
I predict Apple’s next important acoustic product refresh time is will be in 2H24-1H25. The following new products will likely start mass production in 2H24 at the earliest.
1. HomePod mini 2.
2. AirPods Max 2.
3. AirPods low-cost version.
If he’s right, the AirPods Max update will arrive at least three years—possibly four—after their introduction in December 2020.
The HomePod mini debuted in November 2020. Although there have been pricing changes and the addition of new hues, nothing else has changed since then. The HomePod mini has been a smashing success since its release thanks to the sound quality it offers and its attractive price point. The HomePod mini is especially great for people who prefer Apple’s ecosystem over Android.
Regarding a less expensive model of the AirPods, there have been rumors about it ever since the earbuds were first introduced. The most recent prediction from other analysts is that Apple may create a “Lite” model to compete with less expensive wireless earphones in the market.
Earlier this month, Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Haitong International Securities in Hong Kong, stated that the Cupertino tech giant will launch cheaper AirPods by 2024. They will be powered by the older H1 chip and they will lack features like active noise cancellation and Transparency Mode.
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