Apple provides earbuds with the phones which have reasonable functionality with minimal cost. The AirPods mimic the aesthetic of the earbuds so it makes sense to have them Apple branded. Beats is there for any other headphone. I see zero value to Apple to have their own over-ear headphones; it will just dilute the Beats brand and confuse consumers.
Um... Ming-Chi Kuo said, “all-new design.” The graphic artist admitted the mock shares the same design as Beats counterparts. @AppleInsider this article contradicts itself, and no new information is given.
Apple has the tech to handle both earpieces without a cable between. I'd think they'd aim to go super minimal with the band over the top. Single band of spring steel, magnet points for padding with a leather upgrade options. 7speaker cones per ear kind of thing.
Awful, awful concept. Really misses the mark, and shows a total lack of understanding of what Apple is about. Pretty lazy design that is basically just an Apple-branded beats headphone.
Here's what I *think* Apple is going to do:
1. The logo won't be prominent, or even visible. The design of the headphones MUST be distinctive enough that it won't be necessary to plaster a logo on the side.
2. They will NOT copy Beats. They can't. In any way. Beats is a side gig. They won't cannibalize their own side product.
3. (I hope) The way the headphones look will borrow design theory from Apple Watch, the only other "wearable" tech Apple makes right now (Earpods are small enough that they don't count as a wearable). Headphones are an opportunity to make a fashion statement. So, they will probably go the same route and offer the wearer many different styles, kind of like the bands you can get with Apple Watch. The earphones might be a simple metallic design, with the "band" being the part between them, with a single dongle out of one ear, but also with wireless capabilities. So, you can disassemble them into just two earpieces, but with a styled band between them reminiscent of the apple watch bands.
4. the tech they employ will absolutely have to be top-tier. They nailed it with the HomePod in terms of audio quality and they CANNOT afford to do anything less with headphones. The driver design is going to be a selling point for sure. The W1 chip is a given.
This isn’t a concept, it’s just a slightly changed set of Beats. It’s like someone claiming to mock-up a concept car and merely sticking other branding on.
Comments
Apple provides earbuds with the phones which have reasonable functionality with minimal cost. The AirPods mimic the aesthetic of the earbuds so it makes sense to have them Apple branded. Beats is there for any other headphone. I see zero value to Apple to have their own over-ear headphones; it will just dilute the Beats brand and confuse consumers.
Not as others have said rebranded Beats.
1. The logo won't be prominent, or even visible. The design of the headphones MUST be distinctive enough that it won't be necessary to plaster a logo on the side.
2. They will NOT copy Beats. They can't. In any way. Beats is a side gig. They won't cannibalize their own side product.
3. (I hope) The way the headphones look will borrow design theory from Apple Watch, the only other "wearable" tech Apple makes right now (Earpods are small enough that they don't count as a wearable). Headphones are an opportunity to make a fashion statement. So, they will probably go the same route and offer the wearer many different styles, kind of like the bands you can get with Apple Watch. The earphones might be a simple metallic design, with the "band" being the part between them, with a single dongle out of one ear, but also with wireless capabilities. So, you can disassemble them into just two earpieces, but with a styled band between them reminiscent of the apple watch bands.
4. the tech they employ will absolutely have to be top-tier. They nailed it with the HomePod in terms of audio quality and they CANNOT afford to do anything less with headphones. The driver design is going to be a selling point for sure. The W1 chip is a given.