AirPods orders begin to arrive, stock available for purchase at some Apple stores
Apple's long-awaited wireless AirPods are now available at Apple's retail stores, and pre-orderers of the sought-after device started receiving their devices on Sunday.
Starting Monday, Apple AirPods are available at retail, which may be the only opportunity to get them for a holiday gift. Nearly immediately after going up for sale at Apple's online store, the devices were back-ordered, with shipments not expected until January.
However, those who ordered within the first few hours of availability are starting to receive them. Reports on social media from all over the U.S. and other countries heralded the wireless ear buds' arrival, or at least the shipment of same.
We re-surveyed the same 10 stores that we previously asked about expected stock. The two stores that "might" get stock were expecting "at least 20" sets for sale. Of the other eight, three of them were expecting "a few" units for sale, and two of them were expecting 10 or more. All seven stores were updated on Saturday regarding inventory for sale, with stock inventory delivered on Sunday.
Three of the Apple stores we spoke with are still not expecting stock for sale before January.
Other retail establishments like Best Buy and Target are still not expecting any, with one Target store we spoke to telling us that they weren't expecting any stock at all of the sought-after peripheral until late February.
Apple's AirPods, Powerbeats 3, Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones all feature a the Apple-designed W1 chip that makes it easier to pair with multiple Apple devices. In addition to the W1, AirPods also include beam-forming microphones, accelerometers, infrared sensors, and a small charging and carrying case that will provide more power on the go as well as the mechanism to sync with the iPhone 7.
Starting Monday, Apple AirPods are available at retail, which may be the only opportunity to get them for a holiday gift. Nearly immediately after going up for sale at Apple's online store, the devices were back-ordered, with shipments not expected until January.
However, those who ordered within the first few hours of availability are starting to receive them. Reports on social media from all over the U.S. and other countries heralded the wireless ear buds' arrival, or at least the shipment of same.
Early reports suggested that stock would be somewhat limited at U.S. Apple Retail stores, at least to start. AppleInsider has followed up on those reports, and has found that the situation is better than expected at most locations.Even the box itself is a piece of beauty.. #AirPods #Apple @Apple pic.twitter.com/7ZECURlGB1
-- Lee Stewart (@iamleestewart)
We re-surveyed the same 10 stores that we previously asked about expected stock. The two stores that "might" get stock were expecting "at least 20" sets for sale. Of the other eight, three of them were expecting "a few" units for sale, and two of them were expecting 10 or more. All seven stores were updated on Saturday regarding inventory for sale, with stock inventory delivered on Sunday.
Three of the Apple stores we spoke with are still not expecting stock for sale before January.
Other retail establishments like Best Buy and Target are still not expecting any, with one Target store we spoke to telling us that they weren't expecting any stock at all of the sought-after peripheral until late February.
Apple's AirPods, Powerbeats 3, Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones all feature a the Apple-designed W1 chip that makes it easier to pair with multiple Apple devices. In addition to the W1, AirPods also include beam-forming microphones, accelerometers, infrared sensors, and a small charging and carrying case that will provide more power on the go as well as the mechanism to sync with the iPhone 7.
Comments
Unsure which stores will have stock, but I'm taking my chances at the Colorado Springs location this morning. Here's hoping.
tip - although Apple doesn't display online where the stock is - you can chat to them online and they will tell you which stores have stock - you can't reserve though.
I didnt realise that the case also holds charge for multiple charging in the
I stop by Apple Menlo Park mall and picked up a set of Apple AirPods, So now I have 2 sets lol
My local Apple store told me they wouldn't have any until tomorrow (I asked on Friday at 7pm, because I was there on other business).
After 100% charge of both AirPods and case,
54% battery remaining after 2 hours 23 minutes Apple Music.
Loving the tangle free experience. I am one of those users that Always use the tethered EarPods everywhere.
Getting used to:
1) Volume change with Siri. …works perfect But with the necessary volume change delay. …not instant
2) No skip to next song
It's called a tradeoff. Something you lose so that you can gain other better things. Volume adjustment is not the kind of feature I'd expect on a product like this. Furthermore, volume adjustment via hardware button on absolutely every pair of bluetooth headphones I've ever tried, absolutely sucks. Its always some small afterthought button which is so hard to fumble with, ends up moving the buds more than you'd want to, and is generally just easier to go to your pocket for the phone. At least with Siri, there is a mostly handsfree way of doing it when you need to.
First Apple product I've ever returned due to questionable utility...
My 2c