Apple’s little wireless in-ear headphones have been phenomenally successful since the day they were released. So, what’s coming next? Earlier this year, there were coming soon of upgraded models, and more hints a month later. Then, when Apple revealed iOS 12 at its World Wide Developers’ Conference, there was news of a cool addition to current AirPods capabilities: Live Listen, where the microphone of your iPhone can transmit what it hears to certain hearing aids, will work on AirPods, too, in iOS 12.

Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller announces AirPods during a launch event on September 7, 2016, in San Francisco, California. Apple Inc. is expected to unveil the latest iterations of its smartphone, forecasted to be the iPhone 7. The tech giant is also rumoured to be planning to announce an update to its Apple Watch wearable device. 

Now, Bloomberg’s reliably accurate Mark Gurman has said that new, upgraded AirPods will go on sale next year, complete with higher-end features such as noise-cancellation and water-resistance. The upgraded 'Pods are likely to cost more than the $159 price of the current earbuds.

This report adds more weight to earlier rumours and seems to bear them out entirely.

Can’t wait until then? Gurman also says that the current model will be enhanced later this year in a model, and I'd guess they'll be called AirPods 2. These will have a new chip inside which will permit Siri activation without your having to tap on one of the AirPods as you do now. Here, Gurman was reiterating what he’d said back in February.

But it’s next year’s rumoured model that is the most exciting, not just because of the noise-cancellation, though that’s certainly to be welcomed or the water resistance. This, by the way, will be to allow them to function in the rain or when you’re sweating, not for wearing AirPods while you're swimming.

Source: forbes