Why it matters: More evidence has surfaced pointing to a spring launch for Apple's next generation AirPods. The latest, from Spanish blog Applesfera, comes courtesy of a purported screenshot from Apple's stock management software highlighting an end-of-life date of March 28 for the original AirPods.
Apple launched its first wireless Bluetooth earbuds in December 2016. Since they hit the market, AirPods have become quite popular in the public eye. According to a 2017 report from research firm NPD, more than 900,000 wireless headphones were sold in the US that year and 85 percent of them were Apple AirPods.
It's been more than two years since launch, however, and well, the first-gen AirPods are getting a bit long in the tooth. In short, a refresh is in order.
The intel from Applesfera lines up with an earlier report from Greek tech news site iphonehellas.gr claiming pre-orders for the AirPods 2, Apple's long-awaited AirPower wireless charging mat and new iPads will go live on March 22 ahead of a ship date of March 29.
The new AirPods are expected to include wireless charging support, enhanced Bluetooth connectivity and perhaps even improved health monitoring features. They could also be a bit more expensive - perhaps as much as $40 more, according to some rumors.