Apple 'AirPods X Generation' for $399 pops up on Target inventory scanners

AppleInsider

Target employees have been sharing images of UPC scanners and computer systems indicating a yet unannounced Apple product called "Apple AirPods (X Generation)" coming soon with a price tag of $399.

Beats Studio over-the-ear headphones could be the basis for Apple's own premium headset

In a tweet from Jon Prosser, images show a listing for what is potentially Apple's rumored over-the-ear headphones.

Multiple Target employees have started reaching out to me about this

Showing up in their systems and on UPC scanners is this mysterious "Apple AirPods (X Generation)" listing, priced at $399.

Potentially Apple's over-ear "StudioPods" headphones. Launch soon (March)? pic.twitter.com/NVcqH8As47

-- Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser)

February 22, 2020

Given many names in the rumor mill with "HeadPods" and "AirPods Studio" being popular, this new listing utilizes another Apple naming convention -- an X. The Beats product line uses this for its cheapest wireless earbuds, the BeatsX, and doesn't seem to indicate anything in particular.

This listing could be a placeholder, or used only in UPC systems. The marketing name is likely differ entirely once it is actually released. The $399 price tag is a full $150 more than the current AirPods Pro and indicates a huge step up in terms of hardware capabilities.

AppleInsider spoke with multiple Target staffers on Saturday morning regarding the screenshot. While they could not provide us any information about the provenance of the image, they did say that placeholders for new products are common, with pricing information -- but not accurate product names -- often provided by the manufacturer in advance of release.

As a general rule, products with a placeholder ship within a month, and sometimes as soon as a week following initial appearance in the system.

This follows the recent news of a rumored "AirPods Pro Lite". The name suggests a more budget friendly option than the already $250 AirPods Pro, and not a $399 product. The arrival of two new AirPods products at a high and low price point makes sense, as Apple likes to keep an obvious upgrade path while adding new products.

An event is expected to occur in March where new products like Apple "AirTags" and the "iPhone SE 2" are expected. This UPC item could indicate an imminent release of Apple's branded studio quality headphones at the event.

elijahg

It could quite easily be a placeholder for simply the generation number. You know, how some stores still sell the "new" Airpods as "Airpods (2nd Generation)". Don't think this proves anything other than at some point, there will be a third generation of Airpods.

seanj

Probably just a placeholder name... those of us in Generation X are in our 50’s now, not sure Apple would be wanting to associate the product with a single age-group, especially given the grief that the older generations get from millennials these days...

acheron2018

That’s ONE HUNDRED FREAKING DOLLARS more than a HomePod.  

Spronic

That price can’t be right. It could only legitimate with some sort of innovation, since a pair of custom IEM’s can be had at that price. Although the convenience of wireless is it’s obvious advantage.
My guess is this *is* a placeholder and that the price is immaterial and the name is incorrect.

But I’d like to be wrong, I have a great IEM, but sometimes while running about town, I’d like the accessibility of wireless buds. My biggest concern with what’s offered though is sound quality for music.

Having said all that, I don’t think anything is coming out soon. They just released the pro’s, so this release only fits with Apple’s track record, if it is a replacement for the OG air pods.

MisterKit

A new device that might make hearing aids obsolete for 1/10th the cost of current hearing aids? It would certainly fit for Generation X people.

tht

Spronic said:

That price can’t be right. It could only legitimate with some sort of innovation, since a pair of custom IEM’s can be had at that price. Although the convenience of wireless is it’s obvious advantage.
My guess is this *is* a placeholder and that the price is immaterial and the name is incorrect.

But I’d like to be wrong, I have a great IEM, but sometimes while running about town, I’d like the accessibility of wireless buds. My biggest concern with what’s offered though is sound quality for music.

Having said all that, I don’t think anything is coming out soon. They just released the pro’s, so this release only fits with Apple’s track record, if it is a replacement for the OG air pods.

The speculation is that these are the rumored tin can form factor headphones, or around the ear headphones, like Bose QC35 or Beats Studio. $400 is a typical MSRP for a branded headphones of that type. Frankly, I thought it was going to $500, possibly, $600. The price on this Target scanner placeholder is a placeholder, as well as its name. It could just be a 3rd gen AirPods for $150. It may never come to fruition as well.

rickwil61

If these are over the ear phones that have noise cancellation with premium sound quality features such as adaptive eq and air play 2 support, which would allow you to stream lossless audio...  Then I could see them costing $399 and people standing in line to buy them.  But the key would be having sound quality and comfort that are exceptional.

blah64

Given many names in the rumor mill with "HeadPods" and "AirPods Studio" being popular, 

Y'all are totally missing the boat with the product name. 

It's clearly going to be "AirHeads" !

macgui

$400 for cans is very common in the higher performance arena. I doubt Apple can make a pair of IECs that could command that price, unless these are a good contestant for the hearing aid market. Like prescription medicine prices, good hearing aids are priced out of reach of many who need them.

As far as non-IECs go, if Apple is venturing into this market, I hope they're circumaural cans, and that Apple makes a genuine, concerted effort at high end sound, and not technical cleverness and style. $400 is not a top tier of headphone sonics. That range can easily hit the $1000 mark. But at that range few people may be able to fully appreciate that level of sonic joy or take the risk of learning to do so.

If in the event these are headphones and not earphones or headsets, I'm sure they'll be slick looking and have a two or three technical niceties if not innovations. But I'd like to see something that's more to headphones than the Apple HiFi was to speakers. The HiFi was a good product, just not as great as Steve wanted us to believe. I want more than that from Apple headphones.