Kuo: AirPods Pro 2 launching later this year, AirPods 3 struggling

What you need to know

• Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple's AirPods Pro 2 are coming in the second half of this year.
• He also says that AirPods 3 orders have been cut by more than 30% for later in 2022.
• That's because of product segmentation and weak demand.

Ming-Chi Kuo says that Apple will release its new AirPods Pro 2 buds in the second half of 2022.

In a tweet Kuo revealed that Apple has reportedly cut orders for its AirPods 3 for Q2 and Q3 of 2022. He says that due to product segmentation, a strategy that has failed, demand for the buds is "significantly weaker" than that of AirPods 2. Kuo went on to say that Apple would therefore discontinue the AirPods Pro, currently its best true wireless earbuds, when it releases AirPods Pro 2 later this year "to avoid repeating the same mistake."

Kuo it seems is indicating that Apple's decision to continue stocking and selling its older AirPods may be harming the sales of its newer model.

Kuo has previously tipped the AirPods Pro 2 for a launch at the end of this year, as has Mark Gurman. From Bloomberg:

AirPods Pro should also include active noise cancelation, a stand-out feature of the current model, and a key differentiator between those and the regular AirPods.