However, a report from DigiTimes (paywall) is claiming that it is actually in production at the moment. This would suggest that it could still be on track for a launch before the end of 2021, but when exactly Apple plans on announcing it remains to be seen.
Apple is rumored to be planning another event in the coming weeks where they are expected to announce new Macs, like the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, and also possibly a more powerful Mac mini. This means that Apple has a second chance to announce the AirPods, but there is also a chance it could simply be launched through a press release, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
It is unclear why the AirPods 3 weren’t announced at the iPhone event, especially since the device and the iPhone is like a match made in heaven, but hopefully Apple will have something official to share soon.