No one would seriously argue that Apple's recent streaming event in California was lacking in content, given that it introduced four iPhone 13 models, the iPad mini 6 and iPad 9, and the Apple Watch 7. The AirPods 3, Apple's latest true wireless earbuds, were expected to make an appearance, but they did not.

But its absence does not appear to be related to delays or worse; a new report from DigiTimes says that the design has been finalized and the AirPods 3 are now in production.

The DigiTimes article does not give a release date, but if it is true that the AirPods 3 are currently in production, we won't have to wait very long to see them; according to DigiTimes, this is a 2021 product, and the current 2nd generation AirPods The price will be only slightly higher than the asking price.

As DigiTimes says, "Although the new AirPods did not arrive in time for the September launch, Apple's slumping share of the TWS earphone market has led sources to expect the wearables to debut before the year-end sales season begins."

The AirPods Pro 2 is rumored to introduce a fitness tracking feature to work with Apple Fitness Plus, but not much is known about the AirPods 3 other than suggestions that it will feature a new design with a reduced stem that mimics the Pro's appearance. Not much is known.

The purportedly leaked images also suggest that Apple will keep the open design rather than adopt the AirPods Pro's interchangeable chips.

Other improvements are more speculative. Generation-to-generation sound quality improvements are probably expected, but let's not predict anything more than noise reduction. Active noise cancellation (ANC) is likely to be available only in the more expensive Pro line of earphones.

While Apple did not invent the true wireless form factor with the launch of the AirPods, it is hard to dispute that the earbuds have had a huge impact and spawned dozens of imitators. Thanks to easy pairing and Siri integration, AirPods remain a sensible default choice for users embedded in Apple's ecosystem, but competition is fiercer than ever. In recent months, Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2, OnePlus Buds Pro, and the unique-looking Nothing Ear (1) have been launched.

With such strong competition, expect Apple to have plenty of surprises in store to keep the AirPods the best wireless earbuds around. The company is expected to unveil a new MacBook Pro 14-inch 2021 model and a MacBook Pro 16-inch 2021 model by the end of the year, and it would not be surprising if AirPods 3 is not announced in a press release, but rather in a streamed launch event to take the spotlight. It would not be surprising if the AirPods 3 is not announced in a press release, but rather in a streamed launch event.