By <https://9to5mac.com/author/benjaminmayo/> Benjamin Mayo at:
https://9to5mac.com/2021/04/14/amazon-enters-familiar-territory-with-new-whi
te-echo-buds-as-airpods-3-rumors-continue/
Amazon today introduced the <https://amzn.to/3sjSr8x> second-generation of
its Echo Buds while the Apple community awaits the introduction of AirPods
3. For the first-gen buds, Amazon only offered them in black, but this year
they have added a white color. and the white case design very much borders
on AirPods Pro/AirPods 3 territory. Also just like AirPods, the new
wireless charging case is an optional extra, priced $20 above the normal
$119 price point. However, to be fair, that is where the similarities end,
as the Echo Buds lack the stems that are currently AirPods' trademark .
The Echo Buds case in white can easily be confused for the AirPods Pro case,
although Amazon manages to also release its truly-wireless earbuds in black
- a feat that Apple has yet to achieve.
With the charging case, Amazon promises up to 15 hours of battery life for
music playback. This is a little below Apple's estimated 24-hour runtime. In
addition to an AirPods Pro-esque case, the Echo Buds use a new vented design
like the AirPod Pros as well to help with comfort.
Apple is expected to catch up to the Echo Buds form factor with the
next-generation of AirPods Pro. A
<https://9to5mac.com/2020/10/26/new-airpods-new-homepod-airpods-studio/>
report from Bloomberg said Apple would drop the stems in AirPods Pro 2, and
feature a rounded shape casing. The new AirPods Pro are expected later this
year or early in 2022.
What is more imminent is AirPods 3, the entry-level of the AirPods line.
AirPods 3 will largely resemble the as-yet-unannounced AirPods 3 - except
they will lack the in-ear tips and are unlikely to feature active noise
cancellation.
The AirPods 3 have been leaked and
<https://9to5mac.com/2021/03/12/new-leaked-photos-of-airpods-3-show-universa
l-fit-without-interchangeable-ear-tips/> photographed all over the place,
which is usually a good indicator that they are close to launch. However,
Ming-Chi Kuo recently said they are not expected to enter mass production
<https://9to5mac.com/2021/03/15/apple-airpods-3-not-launching-until-q3-says-
kuo/> until the third quarter. It remains unclear if Apple will keep selling
second-generation AirPods - perhaps at a discount - when the new models
eventually do come out.
That being said, Apple's "Spring Loaded" product event is
<https://9to5mac.com/2021/04/13/apple-april-event-ipad-confirmed/> coming up
next week, and there's a chance AirPods 3 could make an appearance. More
likely, we expect the April event to feature the unveiling of the 2021 iPad
Pro lineup.
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