Earlier rumors have claimed that Apple is planning to upgrade its truly wireless earphones lineup. The company could launch the 3rd gen AirPods and 2nd gen AirPods Pro in 2021. Now, alleged images of AirPods have surfaced online. It shows that Apple is working on updated models for its popular wireless earphones.

The development comes from 52audio who have shared an image with what they claim to be parts of the new “AirPods 3.” The leak shows an extremely similar design to AirPods Pro. It gives us a look at the top part of Apple’s wireless earphones and also the enclosure cover of its charging case.

The leaked image corroborates with a recent report that claimed the design of Apple AirPods 3 to be similar to the current AirPods Pro. This means it will have a shorter stem and replaceable ear tips. The company is touted to be working on improving the battery life of the device. Despite the design, the upcoming AirPods will not have higher-end AirPods Pro features like noise-cancellation.

As for the AirPods Pro, the Cupertino giant is said to make the earbuds more compact by eliminating the short stem that currently sticks out from the bottom. The said design is in the testing phase with a more rounded shape that fills more of a user’s ear. It is said to be similar to the designs from Samsung, Amazon, and Google. The report goes on to say that integrating noise-cancellation, wireless antennas and microphones into a smaller AirPods Pro casing has proved challenging during development. It could result in a “less ambitious design” when the product is finalized. 

The AirPods 3 and 2nd gen AirPods Pro could be launched in the first half of 2021. Moreover, both these devices could be powered by a new wireless chip.