“In September, Patently Apple posted a report about Apple winning four design patents in Hong Kong regarding AirPod ear hook tips,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple. “Beyond design patents, today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple relating to this future product titled ‘Earphone Assemblies with Wingtips for Anchoring to a user.'”
“While such a product would a natural accessory for Apple to sell supporting AirPods, it could definitely hurt Apple suppliers like EarBuddyz,” Purcher reports. “Whether it’s an experiment or not is unknown at this time, as the wingstips currently come with the BeatsX earphones.”
“Apple’s patent application 20180070165 was filed back in Q3 2017. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time,” Purcher reports. “One of the inventors of the patent is 21-year veteran industrial designer Christopher Stringer who worked under Jony Ive. Stringer left the company last year. The second designer and inventor is Apple’s Dusting Hatfield who has been with Apple 3.5 years.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take:
I have not yet read the patent, but I could see an embedded antenna in the “wingtip” extension providing valuable service to improve bluetooth, WiFi, and GPS gain/reception and reduce RF power requirements. It could open up vast new possibilities for the tiny wearables, corded or wireless.
These are design patents. That means they only protect the ornamental design of the patented object.
does that mean that EarBuddyz and similar sellers who sell similar items can continue to sell them?
I have normal ears, no need for these wingtips.
What’s happened MDN. Lost your voice?
does that mean that EarBuddyz will have to stop selling it? and other sellers who sell similar hooks?