Concept images suggest what rumored Apple over-ear headphones could look like

Posted:
in General Discussion edited June 2020
Following the rumors of Apple's launch of branded over-the-ear headphones, new images depicting a concept version of the Apple headgear have been produced, showing what the supposed product could look like if it launches this year.

via The Apple Post
via The Apple Post


The concept images published by The Apple Post borrows heavily from the over-ear headphones produced by Beats, the Apple subsidiary that is already dominating the headphone market with its own brand of premium audio accessories. The overall shape is identical to the Beats Solo Wireless and Beats Studio Wireless headphones, with a large headband and round areas where the cup sections attach inside.

The version shown replaces the Beats logo on the side of the headphones with Apple's logo, on top of a seamless white outer casing. The edge of the white headband is shown as having a metallic appearance, and a light brown leather is used for the headband's lining and earpads.

A small hole is also visible on one earcup, near to where the user's mouth would be located. Presumably this would be for an enclosed microphone, used to summon Siri or for making phone calls.

Last week, KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo made the prediction Apple would debut a branded high-end, over-ear headphone featuring an "all new" design, which is speculated to ship in the fourth quarter of 2018. According to Kuo, Apple is keen to deliver a product that provides the convenience of AirPods, but with better acoustic qualities.

Kuo also believes Apple will introduce an updated version of the AirPods in the second half of 2018, speculation shared with other rumors about the popular audio accessory. While the overall design will be the same as the original, this second iteration will apparently center around internal component upgrades to the W1 chip and an inductive charging case, with Apple thought to use new manufacturing methods that take into account the accessory's wireless charging capabilities.

  • via The Apple Post
  • via The Apple Post
  • via The Apple Post


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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 29
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    Disgusting.  Looks like something out of Austin Powers.  I doubt they would look like that.  
    SpamSandwichking editor the grate
  • Reply 2 of 29
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Er, I hope not. 

  • Reply 3 of 29
    mavemufcmavemufc Posts: 326member
    If they look like that I’ll pass, and so will many others.
  • Reply 4 of 29
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Rebranded Beats headphones? I think not. 
    dewmedoozydozen
  • Reply 5 of 29
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    Not a bad looking design. I just don’t think the Apple logo would be that prominent. 
  • Reply 6 of 29
    jcs2305jcs2305 Posts: 1,336member
    macxpress said:
    Rebranded Beats headphones? I think not. 
    As soon as I saw these I thought.. Beats?  I agree they would never go that route.
    mavemufc
  • Reply 7 of 29
    airnerdairnerd Posts: 693member
    No chance they look like that.  Apple is a design innovator, that's just a rehashed design with an overbearing Apple logo on it.  I'm expecting they will be over the ear but all of the materials will be extremely thin/low profile.  And the Apple logo will not be highlighted, it will just be a recessed logo. 
  • Reply 8 of 29
    wassimjwassimj Posts: 13member
    Samsung: Please hire this designer; He/She is brilliant!  ;)
    SpamSandwichwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 9 of 29
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,624member
    I thought it was beats in an Apple skin too.

    I don't like the look of beats so these did nothing for me either. 

    I think if Apple does go down the over ear route, it doesn't make a lot of sense to play on the beats look unless this part of a plan to rebrand beats to Apple.
  • Reply 10 of 29
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    slurpy said:
    Not a bad looking design. I just don’t think the Apple logo would be that prominent. 
    I guess we are in the minority. I don't think that concept looks bad. I think they would look great in Jet Black. 
  • Reply 11 of 29
    mavemufcmavemufc Posts: 326member
    slurpy said:
    Not a bad looking design. I just don’t think the Apple logo would be that prominent. 
    I guess we are in the minority. I don't think that concept looks bad. I think they would look great in Jet Black. 
    Just looks too much like a pair of Beats.
  • Reply 11 of 29
    gutengelgutengel Posts: 363member
    Ugly af
  • Reply 13 of 29
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    jcs2305 said:
    macxpress said:
    Rebranded Beats headphones? I think not. 
    As soon as I saw these I thought.. Beats?  I agree they would never go that route.
    I also thought 'Beats', but I am not sure it is such a bad direction. Beats do OK in terms of sales, don't they? Perhaps this is more of a potential 're-branding'. But I am not sure Apple would use their logo quite so ostentatiously on a set of cans. At least make it the same colour as the background. I'd also imagine they'd want to make them a little more slim-line, though if you are buying an over ear set of headphones you are going for Sound first and foremost and judging by what is out there small size is not a priority.
  • Reply 14 of 29
    airnerdairnerd Posts: 693member
    paxman said:
    jcs2305 said:
    macxpress said:
    Rebranded Beats headphones? I think not. 
    As soon as I saw these I thought.. Beats?  I agree they would never go that route.
    I also thought 'Beats', but I am not sure it is such a bad direction. Beats do OK in terms of sales, don't they? Perhaps this is more of a potential 're-branding'. But I am not sure Apple would use their logo quite so ostentatiously on a set of cans. At least make it the same colour as the background. I'd also imagine they'd want to make them a little more slim-line, though if you are buying an over ear set of headphones you are going for Sound first and foremost and judging by what is out there small size is not a priority.
    Fair enough.  I would use the opportunity though to say "people like this form, so lets keep selling them as Beats and introduce a different look to gain even more people".  

    Side note, I think I must have sensitive ears.  I bought the over the ear Bose instead of on ear Bose because I can't wear the on ear headphones more than 30 minutes before they just hurt.  :)
    baconstang
  • Reply 15 of 29
    viclauyycviclauyyc Posts: 849member
    That is a very creative design from Jony’s team
  • Reply 16 of 29
    I would consider them...for when I'm playing my guitar, pretending I'm Paul McCartney! :)
  • Reply 17 of 29
    airnerd said:
    No chance they look like that.  Apple is a design innovator, that's just a rehashed design with an overbearing Apple logo on it.  I'm expecting they will be over the ear but all of the materials will be extremely thin/low profile.  And the Apple logo will not be highlighted, it will just be a recessed logo. 
    Agree with all of this (innovator, low profile, etc.).  My hope is that Apple goes a step further and does noise-cancelling without over-the-ear and without in-ear.  My guess is that Apple leaves these sorts of designs with Beats.  My speculation on how to go a step further and stay distinguished from Beats is here.
    airnerd
  • Reply 18 of 29
    paxman said:
    jcs2305 said:
    macxpress said:
    Rebranded Beats headphones? I think not. 
    As soon as I saw these I thought.. Beats?  I agree they would never go that route.
    I also thought 'Beats', but I am not sure it is such a bad direction. Beats do OK in terms of sales, don't they? Perhaps this is more of a potential 're-branding'. But I am not sure Apple would use their logo quite so ostentatiously on a set of cans. At least make it the same colour as the background. I'd also imagine they'd want to make them a little more slim-line, though if you are buying an over ear set of headphones you are going for Sound first and foremost and judging by what is out there small size is not a priority.
    Beats + Apple is apparently 40% of Bluetooth headphones.  So I think your belief is right that Beats does okay in terms of sales.  I think re-branding is possible but less likely - the feel of Beats is different from Apple and each is successful in its own way.  But I do think Beats has a bit more of a "fad" element to them and so the brand will wither away over time.  See this for more on what happens to Beats and Apple in the space.


  • Reply 19 of 29
    jcs2305jcs2305 Posts: 1,336member
    paxman said:
    jcs2305 said:
    macxpress said:
    Rebranded Beats headphones? I think not. 
    As soon as I saw these I thought.. Beats?  I agree they would never go that route.
    I also thought 'Beats', but I am not sure it is such a bad direction. Beats do OK in terms of sales, don't they? Perhaps this is more of a potential 're-branding'. But I am not sure Apple would use their logo quite so ostentatiously on a set of cans. At least make it the same colour as the background. I'd also imagine they'd want to make them a little more slim-line, though if you are buying an over ear set of headphones you are going for Sound first and foremost and judging by what is out there small size is not a priority.
    They sell well yes.. and Apple owns the Brand. What would be the point of making something that looks so close in design to something they already own and sell? Just to put an Apple logo on the side? That would make no sense in my opinion, and doesn't seem like something they would do.
    jasenj1
  • Reply 20 of 29
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Bad, bad, bad. No way it looks like Beats. It’ll look like a very high-end product, not a novelty toy.
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