Apple

Oct 12, 2025AW-0032Right

Gurman: Apple builds two tiers of AirPods 5

Gurman reported that Apple was developing two tiers of AirPods 5.

Mark Gurman reported that Apple was developing two tiers of AirPods 5 for its entry-level and mid-tier lineup, alongside a separate H3 chip project for the higher-end AirPods Pro line. Apple announced new AirPods 332 days later.

How to read this record

  1. What was reportedGurman reported that Apple was developing two tiers of AirPods 5.
  2. Who said it, and whenMark Gurman reported it on Oct 12, 2025 in MacRumors.
  3. What happened, and whenAirPods 5 / future AirPods was announced on Sep 9, 2026, 332 days after this report.
  4. The verdict, and whyRightIt turned out the way this report said.Why: Apple shipped two AirPods 5 models. The technical specifications list AirPods 5 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case as separate configurations, the second adding a force sensor with volume swipe. What the company published
What do these words mean?
Right
It turned out the way this report said.
Partly right
Some of this was right and some of it was not.
Wrong
It did not turn out this way.
Moving target
This was right about the plan at the time. The company then changed it.
Never settled
The company has announced the product and nobody ever confirmed or denied this.
Not comparable
This measured a different thing from the number the company published, so the two cannot be compared.
No outcome yet
Nothing has happened yet that would prove this right or wrong.
Not checked yet
The company has answered this. We have not finished checking this one.
Checked
Checked means the company has since given an answer and we compared it with what was reported. Details still waiting on an answer, details nothing can settle, details where the plan itself changed, and details we have not finished reviewing are all counted separately and are not part of that number.
Moving target
A moving target is a report that described the plan accurately at the time, on a product the company then changed. We count these on their own: it would flatter a reporter to call them right, and it would blame a reporter for a decision that was not theirs to call them wrong.
Reported by
Mark Gurman
We read it in
MacRumors
Product
AirPods 5 / future AirPods
Read it at MacRumors Read the original (subscription)

The story of this report

  1. Oct 12, 2025Mark Gurman reported it · MacRumors
  2. Sep 9, 2026AirPods 5 / future AirPods was announced
  3. VerdictRightWhat it means, and why, is in the box above.

Who reported it

Mark Gurman · Journalist

187 reports in the Reporting Record. Of the 57 we have checked, 49 held up. The other 130 are not part of that number: 2 moving target, 20 never settled, 9 not comparable, 99 no outcome yet.

Every report from Mark Gurman

Questions about this report

Did this AirPods 5 / future AirPods report turn out to be true?
Right. It turned out the way this report said. Apple shipped two AirPods 5 models. The technical specifications list AirPods 5 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case as separate configurations, the second adding a force sensor with volume swipe.
Who reported it first?
Mark Gurman reported it on Oct 12, 2025 in MacRumors.
How far ahead of the announcement was it?
That was 332 days before AirPods 5 / future AirPods was announced on Sep 9, 2026.