Apple likely isn't going to announce a new pair of AirPods this year, contrary to recent reporting.

Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed Apple will begin production of the third-generation AirPods in the first half of 2021, followed by the second-generation AirPods Pro in the fourth quarter of 2021 or first quarter of 2022. 

Keep in mind the first-generation AirPods Pro are only a few months old, so a 2020 refresh for those wouldn't make sense. But Apple typically updates its popular products every year; it's not a stretch of the imagination to assume the AirPods and AirPods Pro will be updated by 2022.

That said, Kuo does have a very accurate track record when it comes to leaking Apple's upcoming roadmap.  He's even shared specific details about Apple's upcoming earbuds, like that they will have different system-in-package internals.

Perhaps most interestingly, however, is that Kuo seems to believe Jon Prosser and Digitimes are confused because they've respectively claimed that Apple might be planning to launch AirPods X over-ear headphones or AirPods Pro Lite earbuds with no noise cancelation.

Apple Insider reported that Kuo told investors "supply chain sources are confusing the design process" with an upcoming Beats launch.