“Apple Inc. is about to pump up the volume on its audio-device strategy, planning higher-end AirPods, a new HomePod and studio-quality over-ear headphones for as early as next year, according to people familiar with the matter.,” Mark Gurman and Debby Wu report for Bloomberg. “The Cupertino, California-based company is working on new AirPods with noise-cancellation and water resistance, the people said. Apple is trying to increase the range that AirPods can work away from an iPhone or iPad, one of the people said.”
“Slated for 2019, the earbuds will likely cost more than the existing $159 pair, and that could push Apple to segment the product line like it does with iPhones, one of the people said,” Gurman and Wu report. “The company has also internally discussed adding biometric sensors to future AirPods, like a heart-rate monitor, to expand its health-related hardware offerings beyond the Apple Watch, another person said. The current AirPods will be refreshed later this year with a new chip and support for hands-free Siri activation, Bloomberg News reported.”
“There are over-ear headphones coming from Apple, too. Those will compete with pricey models from Bose Corp. and Sennheiser. They will use Apple branding and be a higher-end alternative to the company’s Beats line,” Gurman and Wu report. “Apple originally intended to introduce the headphones by the end of 2018, but has faced development challenges, and is now targeting a launch as early as next year, the people said… Apple is [also] working on a new version of the HomePod for as early as next year.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: More juice for Services!
Please don’t call them Beats headphones. Beats are the crappiest & most overpriced headphones on the market. They don’t get no respect from audiophiles or anyone else who wants a quality listening experience.
“They will use Apple branding and be a higher-end alternative to the company’s Beats line…”
It was my first thought seeing the headline and I “rushed to judgment” but I don’t think any court would convict me on making that well-deserved assumption. 😉
Have they changed the headline then.
Rumored in 2018. Announced spring 2019. Shipping in time for Christmas 2020.
They’ll be released in 2019, but you won’t be able to turn them on until 2020 after multiple software updates!
Why is its it always “next year” with Apple.
Could not agree more. What have they been doing the last 5 years? Oh Yeah, the car, we really need that. Operating System is broke, no Mac answers, keyboard problems, audio intros that are now just talking to each other, to just name a few. Great leadership.
The stronger RF signals coursing through your bones, sinews, and muscles is nothing to worry bout because it will prepare your body and spirit for the upcoming ascension into the higher frequency of the 4th dimension during the transformation ushered in by Planet X. lol
Because $160 just isn’t enough. As usual, Apple aims for those who can afford to spend $1000 on not much. Ah well, as long as they keep updating AirPods I’m fine.
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all/more/me? Right now, I see Apple with a case of EarPod bigotry. They don’t care to serve/fit everyone. Tough luck if you’re different. I’m going to start my own Pride Parade.
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