Rumor: Apple to debut Bluetooth earbuds alongside 'iPhone 7,' with truly wireless left & right earp

AppleInsider · January 8, 2016 7:33PM

Apple is said to be working on a new pair of high-end Bluetooth headphones that will be completely wireless, meaning separate earpieces for the left and right side without a wire connecting them, according to a new rumor.

Apple's truly wireless earbuds are expected to be similar to the Bragi Dash.

Citing anonymous sources, 9to5mac reported on Friday that the "premium" accessory also lacks charging ports. It is said that Apple plans for users to charge the device with a special carrying case, which will also include an integrated battery for recharging on the go.

It's expected that the new headphones will debut this fall, alongside an anticipated "iPhone 7." Numerous recent reports have suggested that Apple plans to ditch the 3.5-millimeter headphone jack for this year's redesign, instead requiring that users connect headphones either via the Lightning port or over Bluetooth.

If that change does in fact take place, it's highly likely that the EarPods Apple bundles with every new iPhone purchase would change to feature a Lightning connector for compatibility. The new rumored wireless headphones are said to be a premium, optional accessory that will be sold separately.

Apple's current EarPods feature a 3.5mm headphone plug.

Apple did file a trademark application last October for a product dubbed "AIRPODS," using a naming scheme similar to its current wired EarPods. Given Apple's acquisition of Beats, it's likely that any new wireless earbuds would be marketed under that Brand.

With Apple Watch, wireless audio has taken on a more significant role in Apple's product lineup. The company already owns multiple patents for potential hardware iterations, including noise canceling and bone conduction technology, but has yet to bring a wireless headset to market.

Currently, most wireless earbuds available on the market still have a cable connecting the left and right earpieces. There are a few "truly" wireless options available, most notably the Bragi Dash, which was shown off in demonstrations at this week's Consumer Electronics Show.

suddenly newton · January 8, 2016 7:40PM

I would like BT headphones that can dual-pair with my iPhone AND my Apple Watch. And I don't want it to use the lowest bit rate that BT audio supports.

braderunner · January 8, 2016 7:43PM

Would be really cool. Not sure if I'd be willing to pay what Apple will want for them. $500 or more wouldn't surprise me.

cali · January 8, 2016 7:45PM

Bluetooth-only iPhone makes sense only if they fixed the battery issues. Otherwise this sounds terrible.

atlapple · January 8, 2016 7:46PM

suddenly newton said:

I would like BT headphones that can dual-pair with my iPhone AND my Apple Watch. And I don't want it to use the lowest bit rate that BT audio supports.

Might was well ask for your own unicorn.

lkrupp · January 8, 2016 7:49PM

cali said:

Bluetooth-only iPhone makes sense only if they fixed the battery issues. Otherwise this sounds terrible.

You post this nonsense in just about every thread. Get a clue.

williamh · January 8, 2016 7:49PM

I'd like to be able to lose half of my expensive earbuds. Sounds like Apple will have a product for me! Seriously though, I think I would prefer the wire connecting the parts.

hammerd2 · January 8, 2016 7:50PM

The only thing currently stopping me dropping - and hence losing or damaging = my earphones every time I turn my head is the wire that's connecting them to the phone.

atlapple · January 8, 2016 7:54PM

Good to see Apple is going to get rid of an universal port in favor of making most users buy yet again another dongle. Unlike getting rid of optical drives in Macs there is no real space saving benefits to getting rid of a 3.5mm jack. As far as making the thinnest phone ever that mean not only will it have to be thinner than the iPhone 6s it will also have to be thinner than the iPhone 6. This years model actually increased in thickness.

levi · January 8, 2016 7:57PM

braderunner said:

Would be really cool. Not sure if I'd be willing to pay what Apple will want for them. $500 or more wouldn't surprise me.

There's no chance Apple would charge that much for any headphone bundled with the phone.

jmgregory1 · January 8, 2016 8:00PM

I hope this report has some basis in reality. I would love a pair of independent BT buds, as long as they're not in-ear plug style. I can't stand the silicone plugs that block out everything (sound and air) and make me feel like I'm wearing ear plugs, not earphones.

steviet02 · January 8, 2016 8:07PM

levi said:
There's no chance Apple would charge that much for any headphone bundled with the phone.

There is no chance that these will be bundled with the phone. None.

prof_peabody · January 8, 2016 8:07PM

atlapple said:

Good to see Apple is going to get rid of an universal port in favor of making most users buy yet again another dongle. Unlike getting rid of optical drives in Macs there is no real space saving benefits to getting rid of a 3.5mm jack. As far as making the thinnest phone ever that mean not only will it have to be thinner than the iPhone 6s it will also have to be thinner than the iPhone 6. This years model actually increased in thickness.

iPhone thickness generally goes down (and sometimes up) by a few tenths of millimetres each year. The iPhone 7 would have to be 3 full millimetres thinner however to make the claim (if Apple makes it) that "the audio jack had to be removed so they could make it thinner."

So in that sense, almost every story on the subject you see on the web toady is incorrect since they all reference the "problem" of the audio jack in reference to being able to make the phone thinner. Also, iPhone 7 is quite unlikely to be that thin. It would require new battery tech or new screen tech (or both), each of which shaved a full millimetre or two off of the thickness.

The odds of the new iPhone even being as thin as the current iPod touch, are very small. Even if it lost a full millimetre, it would be a huge change, the biggest in five full years, and it would still be a millimetre thicker than the current iPod touch.

edited January 2016

sflocal · January 8, 2016 8:09PM

I rarely use headphones simply because I hate the wires. Turning my head a certain way make the wires snag on some part of my clothing. I'm all for wireless.

I think Apple getting rid of the headphone jack is an inevitability. As usual, they will give everyone else in the industry a swift kick in the ass to move forward on modern tech. Might as well be Apple to blaze the way... as always.

I can definitely say what WILL happen. If Apple does in fact get rid of the headphone jack... within a year it will be a norm with the Android copycats and then the trolls and iHaters (some still infesting this forum) will suddenly backtrack on their whining and then imply that it was an "evolution" in the industry. Rinse and repeat.

spamsandwich · January 8, 2016 8:11PM

And the battery life would be...what, like 15 minutes of use? Even hearing aids have sort of large batteries and the audio they produce is nothing like fine stereo headphones.

lepton · January 8, 2016 8:15PM

That seems to describe Bragi's Dash wireless earbuds to a T... Fully wireless, charging case... Only problem they are $300..

atlapple · January 8, 2016 8:17PM

Prof_Peabody said:

atlapple said:

Good to see Apple is going to get rid of an universal port in favor of making most users buy yet again another dongle. Unlike getting rid of optical drives in Macs there is no real space saving benefits to getting rid of a 3.5mm jack. As far as making the thinnest phone ever that mean not only will it have to be thinner than the iPhone 6s it will also have to be thinner than the iPhone 6. This years model actually increased in thickness.

iPhone thickness generally goes down (and sometimes up) by a few tenths of millimetres each year. The iPhone 7 would have to be 3 full millimetres thinner however to make the claim (if Apple makes it) that "the audio jack had to be removed so they could make it thinner."

So in that sense, almost every story on the subject you see on the web toady is incorrect since they all reference the "problem" of the audio jack in reference to being able to make the phone thinner. Also, iPhone 7 is quite unlikely to be that thin. It would require new battery tech or new screen tech (or both), each of which shaved a full millimetre or two off of the thickness.

The odds of the new iPhone even being as thin as the current iPod touch, are very small. Even if it lost a full millimetre, it would be a huge change, the biggest in five full years, and it would still be a millimetre thicker than the current iPod touch.

I agree 100% which is why I see no benefit to removing the 3.5mm jack. Apple didn't even remove it from its ultra thin Macbook. Removing optical drives from Macs made sense this doesn't.

sflocal · January 8, 2016 8:19PM

atlapple said:

Good to see Apple is going to get rid of an universal port in favor of making most users buy yet again another dongle. Unlike getting rid of optical drives in Macs there is no real space saving benefits to getting rid of a 3.5mm jack.

Let me guess, you probably whined about Apple ditching the CD-Rom, Floppy, Legacy Ports as well? This is about moving forward and jettison technology that is beginning to show its age.

Is that knock on the door the 1990's wanting you to come back to them?

prof_peabody · January 8, 2016 8:27PM

The main problem I have with Apple's direction here is that the "included in the box" headphones are likely to be lightning EarPods, and EarPods just fall out of your ears constantly. If you use them daily they only last about six months anyway.

These wireless earphones sound okay, but they are likely to be at least a couple of hundred dollars, and they don't seem to be "in-ear" even (the only ear buds that really, actually, stay in). The "hook over the back of the ear" type that these seem likely to be, is generally the least popular type of ear buds out there, because again ... they generally don't fit and generally fall out a lot. They don't usually even seal at the ear properly, so they leak sound as well. All of the really, really low quality ear buds are these "hook over the ear" type.

Apple's will no doubt be much better than what's currently out there, but I don't see how they can really get over these problems.

The only current Apple branded ear buds that work well, stay in your ears well, and produce comparable output to non-Apple brands are the Apple in-ear ear buds. To use these however, some kind of bulky adapter will be necessary.

I can't get over seeing this as essentially a "lose-lose-lose" situation for anyone who cares even a little bit about sound quality and actually listens to their iPhone a lot.

jfc1138 · January 8, 2016 8:32PM

Sri when they fall out they get lost?

Not excited.

rogifan_old · January 8, 2016 8:32PM

Prof_Peabody said:

The main problem I have with Apple's direction here is that the "included in the box" headphones are likely to be lightning EarPods, and EarPods just fall out of your ears constantly. If you use them daily they only last about six months anyway.

These wireless earphones sound okay, but they are likely to be at least a couple of hundred dollars, and they don't seem to be "in-ear" even (the only ear buds that really, actually, stay in). The "hook over the back of the ear" type that these seem likely to be, is generally the least popular type of ear buds out there, because again ... they generally don't fit and generally fall out a lot. They don't usually even seal at the ear properly, so they leak sound as well. All of the really, really low quality ear buds are these "hook over the ear" type.

Apple's will no doubt be much better than what's currently out there, but I don't see how they can really get over these problems.

The only current Apple branded ear buds that work well, stay in your ears well, and produce comparable output to non-Apple brands are the Apple in-ear ear buds. To use these however, some kind of bulky adapter will be necessary.

I can't get over seeing this as essentially a "lose-lose-lose" situation for anyone who cares even a little bit about sound quality and actually listens to their iPhone a lot.

These new Dash wireless earbuds don't look like they hook over the back of the ear.

edited January 2016

Rumor: Apple to debut Bluetooth earbuds alongside 'iPhone 7,' with truly wireless left & right earp

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