Apple's AirPods 3 are, by most estimates, still at least a few months away. But that hasn't stopped the first copycats from appearing, such as the leaked AirPods 3 design from earlier this year.

Twitter user DuanRui posted a video of fake AirPods and charging cases.

Still, even without DuanRui pointing out that these earbuds are counterfeit, the timing makes it clear that this is not the real thing: Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors last month that AirPods 3 will not even begin mass production until Q3 2021. He told investors.

Apple's big April event, which is supposed to include the announcement of the AirPods 3, was initially said to unveil a series of Cupertino products, but now it seems unlikely to happen at all. Therefore, as for the release date of the AirPods 3, it will probably be later this year, possibly around the same time as the launch of the iPhone 13.

In any case, the AirPods 3 are almost certainly not in production yet. And while the design of early prototypes seems to be the source of inspiration for these counterfeit models, the emergence of the latter means that we need to remain vigilant against unfamiliar sources claiming to own AirPods 3.

Nevertheless, the video at least provides more extensive information about how the AirPods 3 might end up. Shorter, AirPods Pro-style stems are one of the more in-demand changes, though the design does not include interchangeable in-ear tips like Apple's premium buds. That said, the speaker appears to be slightly sunken into the earbuds, both in previous leaks and in this faux model, so it may be possible to use this half-open design to listen and insert a set of silicone tips into the gap.

For now, we'll just have to wait and see. But beware of these fake AirPods 3. This is arguably the most eagerly awaited pair of headphones in 2021, so other forgeries are likely to appear before launch day.