AirPods with more features, new studio quality headphones possibly coming from Apple in 20...

Jump to First Reply
AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited June 2018
Apple appears to be shooting for a pair of high-end portable audio devices for release in calendar year 2019, with development of both well underway.




The new AirPods will be higher-end than the current model, says Bloomberg in a new report on Monday. Reportedly, "internal discussions" are ongoing about the product, with the company considering biometric sensors for the device like a heart rate monitor.

Apple also appears to be widening manufacturing options for the AirPods. Foxconn is reportedly in on future manufacturing of the device, possibly in response to low quantities at release attached to manufacturer Luxshare's inability to deliver on time and low volumes at launch.

The new AirPods are likely going to cost more than the existing $159 for the set. A previous rumor suggested that new AirPods with smaller components could launch later in 2018 -- but that rumor appears to be for a slightly updated device, and not Monday's rumored set.

AirPods shipped in late 2016, but Apple struggled to keep up with demand at launch. The $159 AirPods include Apple's custom W1 wireless chip, which allows easy pairing across a range of devices signed into the same iCloud account. The accessory is expected to soon be enhanced by a wireless charging case that will be compatible with Apple's AirPower charging mat.

New Apple-branded headphones coming as well?

The rumored over-ear headphones are said to eschew Beats branding with Apple's own mark, and will compete with "pricey models from Bose and Sennheiser" according to the report. Author Mark Gurman claims that Apple originally intended to introduce the headphones at the tail-end of 2018, but unspecified "development challenges" forced a push of the devices into 2019.

The report also claims that Apple is looking to widen the manufacturing base of the HomePod, also tapping Foxconn for that as well. A new model may appear "as early as 2019" but nothing else is said about the device in the report at all.

Bloomberg points out that deals are not finalized, and production is yet to begin on either the AirPods with biometric sensors, or the studio quality headphones.
arckaedea
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 31
    matrix077matrix077 Posts: 868member
    If this *higher end* = noise cancelling, wireless charging then I’m in. 
    tmaySoundJudgmentwatto_cobrapatchythepiratearckaedea
     5Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 31
    ksecksec Posts: 1,569member
    So next year we may see AirPods's prices dropped to $99.
    GeorgeBMacSoundJudgmentwatto_cobraarckaedea
     4Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 31
    mbenz1962mbenz1962 Posts: 175member
    I would deffinately buy them if they had some kind of rubberized tip like my Beats X.  I have to say that the AirPods were the most impressive tech product I've used recently and the first in the last 5 years that actually gave me a "Wow" feeling and prompted me to sing their praises to all who would listen.  Sadly, the hard plasic design hurt the tragus of my ears if I wore them more than 30 minutes at a time and it really made me sad to return them because the tech worked so impressively well.  In addition to improved comfort  (for me at least) the other advantage to rubberized tips would be some level passive noise canceling.  Here's to hoping for gen 2!
    SoundJudgmentjahbladeh2pcaladaniandewmebaconstangwatto_cobra
     7Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 31
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    So noise canceling isn’t a natural progression of AirPods but has to be some pro version where they can charge more money?
    GeorgeBMacmuthuk_vanalingam
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 31
    frantisekfrantisek Posts: 761member
    My prediction :smiley:

    New bionic AirPods.

    GeorgeBMacSpamSandwichjahbladeh2pbaconstangmitchelljdwaverboykiowavtspheric
     9Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 31
    sedicivalvolesedicivalvole Posts: 232member
    This would be amazing if it comes to pass!! 

    Noise cancelling AirPods. Sign me up right now.

    I agree with a poster above, the AirPods are the first bit of technology for probably 5 years or so that have given me a wow factor and had me recommending them to friends. The last time was probable the Retina MacBook Pro 2013 (though this wasn't revolutionary to me it was such a perfectly balanced machine) then previously the iPhone. 

    Love the AirPods 
    SoundJudgmententropyswatto_cobramitchelljd
     4Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 31
    racerhomie3racerhomie3 Posts: 1,264member
    So noise canceling isn’t a natural progression of AirPods but has to be some pro version where they can charge more money?
    Something with an AirPods like design can’t be noise canceling. Please stop acting so foolish. Apple made the EarPods design so air can flow through easily. It makes it much more comfortable to wear than the competition.

    I can wear my AirPods for hours at a time, and not feel uncomfortable. But the closed tip ‘noise isolating’ BeatsX made me uncomfortable after even 40 minutes.
    edited June 2018
    guerroStrangeDaysSendMcjakbackstabmitchelljdpatchythepirate
     6Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 31
    Solisoli Posts: 10,038member
    I wonder what the chances are for in-ear AirPods.
    edited June 2018
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 31
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    So noise canceling isn’t a natural progression of AirPods but has to be some pro version where they can charge more money?
    Something with an AirPods like design can’t be noise canceling. Please stop acting so foolish. Apple made the EarPods design so air can flow through easily. It makes it much more comfortable to wear than the competition.
    ”The Cupertino, California-based company is working on new AirPods with noise-cancellation and water resistance, the people said. Apple is trying to increase the range that AirPods can work away from an iPhone or iPad, one of the people said. You won’t be swimming in them though: The water resistance is mainly to protect against rain and perspiration, the people said.”
    gatorguy
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 31
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    If Apple is coming out with audiophile-quality headphones, it makes perfect sense that they would not use the Beat brand for them. Beat is not associated with audiophile-quality.
    pmb01baconstangchasmspheric
     4Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 31
    roakeroake Posts: 821member
    rogifan_new said:
    So noise canceling isn’t a natural progression of AirPods but has to be some pro version where they can charge more money?
    Something with an AirPods like design can’t be noise canceling. Please stop acting so foolish. Apple made the EarPods design so air can flow through easily. It makes it much more comfortable to wear than the competition.
    ”The Cupertino, California-based company is working on new AirPods with noise-cancellation and water resistance, the people said. Apple is trying to increase the range that AirPods can work away from an iPhone or iPad, one of the people said. You won’t be swimming in them though: The water resistance is mainly to protect against rain and perspiration, the people said.”
    Ouch!  That left a mark!
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 12 of 31
    maciekskontaktmaciekskontakt Posts: 1,169member
    Beats competeing with Sennheiser (Bose is not high quality sorry, but someone does not seem to know basics of audiphile). That sounds funny. Maybe on cool cords and colors, but not on sound quality for sure. Try the best Beats with worst Sennheiser side by side and learn facts. Been using Sennheisers for decade discaring all Apple fancy earphones and others as low quality. Apple can talk with Sennheiser as leader and expert in this area, but gaining expertise is not something Apple can do overnight. Entering this market is not just matter of cool ideas and energy of wannabe or money. just check lineup of Sennheiser and how many firms already tried.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 31
    Notsofastnotsofast Posts: 450member
    nunzy said:
    If Apple is coming out with audiophile-quality headphones, it makes perfect sense that they would not use the Beat brand for them. Beat is not associated with audiophile-quality.
    The recent Studio 3 wireless have been well received from the audio quality point of view though
    nunzyracerhomie3watto_cobramitchelljd
     2Likes 0Dislikes 2Informatives
  • Reply 14 of 31
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    Why would Apple talk with Sennheiser? They could just buy them for cash. Problem solved.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 15 of 31
    Rayz2016rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    maciekskontakt said:
    Beats competeing with Sennheiser (Bose is not high quality sorry, but someone does not seem to know basics of audiphile). That sounds funny. Maybe on cool cords and colors, but not on sound quality for sure. Try the best Beats with worst Sennheiser side by side and learn facts. Been using Sennheisers for decade discaring all Apple fancy earphones and others as low quality. Apple can talk with Sennheiser as leader and expert in this area, but gaining expertise is not something Apple can do overnight. Entering this market is not just matter of cool ideas and energy of wannabe or money. just check lineup of Sennheiser and how many firms already tried.
    Yes, this is precisely what the CEOs of BlackBerry said before Apple entered the phone market. 
    racerhomie3StrangeDaysbrucemcwatto_cobranunzy
     4Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 16 of 31
    jcs2305jcs2305 Posts: 1,342member
    rogifan_new said:
    So noise canceling isn’t a natural progression of AirPods but has to be some pro version where they can charge more money?
    My girlfriend and a few friends of mine that have Air Pods really like; and comment on the fact that they can wear them and still hear what is going on around them. This is helpful when walking/running, or working in an office setting.  When she and I walk together I wear my beats x and there have been a few times where she moved to the side and a car came by. I didn't hear the car at all...

    I now stay slightly back and to the side of her so if she moves I move with her, and glance back to see if anything is coming. If you have the correct size tips the beats do surprisingly well at blocking out noise without the volume not needing to be cranked up. 
    StrangeDayswatto_cobrapatchythepirate
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 17 of 31
    stanhopestanhope Posts: 160member
    maciekskontakt said:
    Beats competeing with Sennheiser (Bose is not high quality sorry, but someone does not seem to know basics of audiphile). That sounds funny. Maybe on cool cords and colors, but not on sound quality for sure. Try the best Beats with worst Sennheiser side by side and learn facts. Been using Sennheisers for decade discaring all Apple fancy earphones and others as low quality. Apple can talk with Sennheiser as leader and expert in this area, but gaining expertise is not something Apple can do overnight. Entering this market is not just matter of cool ideas and energy of wannabe or money. just check lineup of Sennheiser and how many firms already tried.
    Agree Bose is not high quality
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 18 of 31
    Rayz2016rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    rogifan_new said:
    So noise canceling isn’t a natural progression of AirPods but has to be some pro version where they can charge more money?

    So a bigger engine in the XT model isn’t a natural progression but has to be some high end version of the car where  they can charge more money?

    🙄


    king editor the grateStrangeDaysbrucemcfastasleepwatto_cobra
     5Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 19 of 31
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,172member
    rogifan_new said:
    So noise canceling isn’t a natural progression of AirPods but has to be some pro version where they can charge more money?
    I’ve never seen anyone more quick to condem Apple based on rumors in my life. 

    If you can’t afford non-entry-level features, what can one say? Look for non-entry-level work, I guess. 
    brucemcRayz2016watto_cobra
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 20 of 31
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,172member
    So noise canceling isn’t a natural progression of AirPods but has to be some pro version where they can charge more money?
    Something with an AirPods like design can’t be noise canceling. Please stop acting so foolish. Apple made the EarPods design so air can flow through easily. It makes it much more comfortable to wear than the competition.
    ”The Cupertino, California-based company is working on new AirPods with noise-cancellation and water resistance, the people said. Apple is trying to increase the range that AirPods can work away from an iPhone or iPad, one of the people said. You won’t be swimming in them though: The water resistance is mainly to protect against rain and perspiration, the people said.”
    You’re quoting an anonymously sourced rumor. That doesn’t work as a trump card in a discussion because until it comes to pass, it’s just a guess. Many times rumors are wrong. Racer may be wrong about the form factor and noise canceling, but you’ve provided no compelling reason that’s the case. 
    edited June 2018
    watto_cobramitchelljd
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
Sign In or Register to comment.