Depending on the state in which your AirPods are, it is likely that you have already bought the second generation, a second generation that although initially seems not to have had the same initial demand as the first, is exceeding the expectations that Apple had placed on them.
According to DigiTimes, the manufacturer of rigid printed circuit boards used in AirPods 2 is increasing production to meet the high demand that it is having the second generation of AirPods and despite the fact that some rumors suggest that by the end of this year the third generation could arrive.
According to this medium, Unitech Printed Circuit Board, the production of the manufacture of the circuit boards used in AirPods is increasing between 25 and 30% in its facilities in Taiwan. The third generation of AirPods, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, will not use the same technology, since they will make use of SIP technology that reduces internal space and costs. This third generation will offer us as main novelty a noise cancellation system.
Kuo claims that the production of this third generation will begin in the fourth quarter of 2019 or early 2020, they will have a totally new design and a higher price than current models. Bloomberg says it could also offer certified resistance to splashes and rain, although this is unlikely, since that's what Powerbeats Pro in the market.
Most of Apple's competitors in the field of wireless headphones continue to use PCB technology in the models they currently have on the market, at least to this day, but most likely, like Apple, these will pass to SIP technology to be able to offer more functions and less space.