New Apple headphone project possibly hampered by multiple re-designs, coming no earlier th...

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited March 2018
Another report claims that high-end over-the-ear headphones are expected from Apple -- not Beats -- before the end of 2018, but the data escaping Apple's manufacturing chain remains nebulous and ill-defined.

via The Apple Post
via The Apple Post


A new report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg on Monday morning reiterates earlier rumors that Apple is planning on extending its wearables market with new headphones. Allegedly, the noise-canceling headphones could be released "as early as the end of this year" but there are "development challenges" that could delay the release.

Gurman claims that work on the Apple earphones has been sporadic over the course of the last year, comparing it to HomePod development. According to unnamed Bloomberg sources, Apple has forced multiple redesigns, and may be doing it yet again -- or may scrap the project entirely.

While there are concerns in the Bloomberg report that some Beats sales might be cannibalized by the new headset, much of the Beats product line are lower-priced than what the new headphones are expected to command -- but the account falls short of naming a price range.

KGI's Ming-Chi Kuo first reported the presence of the high-end headphones on Feb. 24. Kuo suggested that Apple supplier SZS, a metal injection molding specialist, is expected to be part of the project.

Kuo also predicts Apple will introduce an updated version of AirPods in the second half of 2018.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 30
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Typical rumor mill machinations. It’s coming. It’s delayed. It’s being redesigned. It’s coming again. Manufacturing has hit a snag and it’s delayed again. When will we ever learn?
    wlymGG1randominternetpersonmike1jony0watto_cobraaegean
  • Reply 2 of 30
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,384member
    This shit “report” describes every single Apple product ever released.  Can’t believe how predictable this garbage is. 
    wlymGG1pscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 30
    racerhomie3racerhomie3 Posts: 1,264member
    I am still more than happy with my AirPods!
    RobPalmer9doozydozen
  • Reply 4 of 30
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    lkrupp said:
    Typical rumor mill machinations. It’s coming. It’s delayed. It’s being redesigned. It’s coming again. Manufacturing has hit a snag and it’s delayed again. When will we ever learn?
    They cover all the bases so they can’t be wrong,  ;)
    wlymjony0michelb76RobPalmer9
  • Reply 5 of 30
    evilutionevilution Posts: 1,399member
    We only heard about these rumoured headphones a few days ago and someone has already decided they are delayed.
    Something that doesn’t have a release date, can’t really be delayed.
    supadav03brucemcmike1RobPalmer9watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 30
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    “Multiple redesigns”? Gee, that doesn’t sound like Apple. Don’t they usually just immediately go to production with the first iteration of any one of their new product designs?  /s
    wlymrandominternetpersonmike1pscooter63doozydozenwatto_cobracityguidefreshmaker
  • Reply 7 of 30
    wlymwlym Posts: 102member
    I hear that Apple is having trouble with EarID™ and Earamojis. 
    supadav03watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 30
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    If this rumor is true is Apple saying it knows many customers won’t buy anything with Beats branding? Or is this a signal that the Beats brand is fading and will slowly be phased out? I remember when the Best Buy headphone section used to be nothing but Beats. Now Beats gets one corner and shares space with lots of other brands.
    doozydozen
  • Reply 9 of 30
    randominternetpersonrandominternetperson Posts: 3,089member
    If this rumor is true is Apple saying it knows many customers won’t buy anything with Beats branding? Or is this a signal that the Beats brand is fading and will slowly be phased out? I remember when the Best Buy headphone section used to be nothing but Beats. Now Beats gets one corner and shares space with lots of other brands.
    No and no.  Ok "maybe" and no.
    edited March 2018 watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 30
    seankillseankill Posts: 566member
    evilution said:
    We only heard about these rumoured headphones a few days ago and someone has already decided they are delayed.
    Something that doesn’t have a release date, can’t really be delayed.
    Moronic argument. Every project has a schedule (successful project anyway), thus delays are possible. 
  • Reply 11 of 30
    tipootipoo Posts: 1,142member
    I think these could be pretty great. W2, homepod-like mics for self correction, and that Apple audio lab that produced the Homepod and Macbooks. 

    Though I hate that concept render and others like it; I do NOT want Beats: Apple Edition, I want a substantive ground-up rethink in the way Apple does. 
    doozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 30
    supadav03supadav03 Posts: 503member
    Wonder what type of “development challenges” they could be facing? These are just headphones right? I’d think Apple would be able to make a great pair pretty easily, especially considering their access to Beats 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 30
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,033member
    supadav03 said:
    Wonder what type of “development challenges” they could be facing? These are just headphones right? I’d think Apple would be able to make a great pair pretty easily, especially considering their access to Beats 
    They're probably having trouble getting the 2 sides to play at the same time.  Perhaps in the first iteration, it will only work for one ear. /s!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 30
    GG1GG1 Posts: 483member
    If this rumor is true is Apple saying it knows many customers won’t buy anything with Beats branding? Or is this a signal that the Beats brand is fading and will slowly be phased out? I remember when the Best Buy headphone section used to be nothing but Beats. Now Beats gets one corner and shares space with lots of other brands.
    I'd say Yes and No.

    As was pointed out in a previous thread on this subject, the Beats headphones are too garish for some (big "b" logo on the side with bright red or other bright colors). Also, I suspect the Beats brand has a reputation of having too much bass (IMO, true for most of their products, but the Studio's sound good to me).

    Apple would be much more understated in appearance, plus have more neutral frequency response***.

    Think of what a slimmed-down A8 from the HomePod can do in in these Apple headphones - active noise cancellation (with the multiple microphone inputs), W2 chip, great battery life with bigger product volume (compared to AirPods).

    Edit: *** I suspect that the audio engineers that worked on the HomePods would be involved in the Apple headphones; they would NOT be involved with Beats development in any way.
    edited March 2018
  • Reply 15 of 30
    mauijoemauijoe Posts: 77member
    It isn't mainly Apple customers who have a poor view of BEATS it the audio gear community! Though those groups do intersect 😄
    mike1
  • Reply 16 of 30
    19831983 Posts: 1,225member
    These headphones, if they materialize, will be hard pressed to beat the B&W PX. Which I have...best wireless/noise cancelling phones I’ve ever owned!
    edited March 2018
  • Reply 17 of 30
    thttht Posts: 5,443member
    rogifan_new said:
    If this rumor is true is Apple saying it knows many customers won’t buy anything with Beats branding? Or is this a signal that the Beats brand is fading and will slowly be phased out? I remember when the Best Buy headphone section used to be nothing but Beats. Now Beats gets one corner and shares space with lots of other brands.
    I think Apple is thinking:

    Beats branded products are for the market at large, including Android, PC, DAP, CD players, etc. They would use headphone jacks, Micro USB or USB-C, and Bluetooth.

    Apple branded music products are for existing Apple customers. Apple is headed towards using wireless only for all their accessories. Lightning if it really needs a lot of power, with the possible exception of the EarPods which are wired for cost reasons.

    So, Beats stays for the foreseeable future.


    randominternetpersonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 30
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,329member
    tht said:
    rogifan_new said:
    If this rumor is true is Apple saying it knows many customers won’t buy anything with Beats branding? Or is this a signal that the Beats brand is fading and will slowly be phased out? I remember when the Best Buy headphone section used to be nothing but Beats. Now Beats gets one corner and shares space with lots of other brands.
    I think Apple is thinking:

    Beats branded products are for the market at large, including Android, PC, DAP, CD players, etc. They would use headphone jacks, Micro USB or USB-C, and Bluetooth.

    Apple branded music products are for existing Apple customers. Apple is headed towards using wireless only for all their accessories. Lightning if it really needs a lot of power, with the possible exception of the EarPods which are wired for cost reasons.

    So, Beats stays for the foreseeable future.


    Exactly.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 30
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    SpamSandwich said:
    “Multiple redesigns”? Gee, that doesn’t sound like Apple. Don’t they usually just immediately go to production with the first iteration of any one of their new product designs?  /s
    This is exactly the same thing that every product company has done since the year dot.

    My god, who else makes money for stating the obvious?
    watto_cobradanh
  • Reply 20 of 30
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member

    rogifan_new said:
    If this rumor is true is Apple saying it knows many customers won’t buy anything with Beats branding? Or is this a signal that the Beats brand is fading and will slowly be phased out? I remember when the Best Buy headphone section used to be nothing but Beats. Now Beats gets one corner and shares space with lots of other brands.
    Or could it be that most folk buy them direct from Apple or Amazon?

    watto_cobra
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