B&H claims Apple's BeatsX earbuds will go on sale Dec. 16
Apple will finally launch its BeatsX earbuds -- equipped with the company's proprietary W1 wireless chip -- on Dec. 16, according to retailer B&H.
A listing on B&H's website was pointed out by AppleInsider reader Bryce. Apple has never given an official release date for the earbuds, except that they should ship sometime before Christmas.
Indeed B&H's date could just be a reasonable prediction -- but Apple would presumably share information with retailers when it's ready, especially for a product that isn't supposed to be a major secret.
For full disclosure, B&H is an AppleInsider partner, most notably in our Mac Price Guide.
While also working with third-party hardware, the W1 chip allows for quicker pairing with Apple devices, and in fact several of them simultaneously thanks to iCloud. The chip also offers extreme range, possibly up to 400 feet or more in the case of the Beats Solo3 Wireless, the first headphones with the technology.
So far, the only shipping products with the W1 include the Solo3 Wireless and the Powerbeats3 Wireless. Apple's self-branded AirPods have been delayed, though they might finally arrive later this month.
A listing on B&H's website was pointed out by AppleInsider reader Bryce. Apple has never given an official release date for the earbuds, except that they should ship sometime before Christmas.
Indeed B&H's date could just be a reasonable prediction -- but Apple would presumably share information with retailers when it's ready, especially for a product that isn't supposed to be a major secret.
For full disclosure, B&H is an AppleInsider partner, most notably in our Mac Price Guide.
While also working with third-party hardware, the W1 chip allows for quicker pairing with Apple devices, and in fact several of them simultaneously thanks to iCloud. The chip also offers extreme range, possibly up to 400 feet or more in the case of the Beats Solo3 Wireless, the first headphones with the technology.
So far, the only shipping products with the W1 include the Solo3 Wireless and the Powerbeats3 Wireless. Apple's self-branded AirPods have been delayed, though they might finally arrive later this month.
Comments
I guess the answer is "brand loyalty" -- there are many people who like the Beats brand, and Apple wants to keep them in the family. But the purist in me says that Apple need to reconcile these overlapping product lines into a single (and single-branded) offering.
I'm wondering if AirPods have any ability to gain features (e.g., this volume control) issue through some sort of software / firmware update from Apple in the future...? Probably not, as there is no data connection into them and therefore no way to load any updated software.
Just FYI, according to one reviewer who is pretty critical of Beats for their exaggerated bass, the BeatsX demo pair he tested were far less exaggerated than any other Beats headphone product he's tested.
Edit: one more thing, can we assume non lossless audio with these, has that been definitively answered? Just curious, thx.
(It's tricky during winter when my wrist is buried under sweatshirts and jackets, but your suggestions is a good reminder that solutions do exist.)
I believe you're out of date. Most reviews of Beats headphones from the past couple of years say they've abandoned the bass heaviness of their early models. The Studios in particular are rather highly regarded.
That means anyone who bought an iPhone 7 in September, who upgrades every year, will have not had use of signature technology to mitigate the loss of the headphone jack for 1/3 of the products useful life for them. If demand is high, and shipments low, some might have to wait even longer.
Pretty sad state of affairs.