Apple Cuts the Cord With New Wireless ‘AirPods’

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Apple Cuts the Cord With New Wireless ‘AirPods’

But they're expensive compared to wired earbuds

Apple released the new iPhone 7 at a press event in San Francisco Wednesday, and, as rumored, the company removed the audio jack from its flagship smartphone. But to soften the blow, it also revealed a surprise companion product: AirPods, a wireless version of its popular white earbuds that’ll be available in October for $159.

Packing a new, Apple-designed W1 chip, the AirPods boast five hours of battery life on a charge, along with a powered carrying case that can provide an additional 24 hours of juice. Apple says just 15 minutes of charging provides three hours of listening time. The $159 wireless headphones also have integrated infrared sensors that detect when they’ve been inserted into an ear, ensuring that they only play music when they’re worn, not when they’re stuffed into your pocket.

The earpieces feature stereo sound, but also can be worn individually like a Bluetooth headset. Lacking any physical buttons, the AirPods can detect double taps to connect to Siri, among other touch controls.

The headphones also have a pair of microphones that not only help to block out external noise, but also work with a voice accelerometer to better hear your spoken commands. And in addition to all the usual requests you’d typically make of Siri, the AirPods allow for a new one: “Hey Siri, how’s the battery on my AirPods?”

On stage and in its website, Apple made no mention of Bluetooth in its reveal of the AirPods, which means its likely these headphones use proprietary connectivity technology like AirPlay. The company did boast that the W1 chip enabled “high efficiency playback while producing a consistent and reliable connection. “

And with a link to Apple’s iCloud services, setting up the AirPods once will enable them on all of your Apple devices.

Some may find the AirBuds’ $159 price tag to be well outside their headphone budget. Thankfully, there are plenty of other great wireless headphones out there. Meanwhile, the iPhone 7 also includes wired earbuds that connect to via the handset’s Lightning port as well as an adapter for connecting older wired headphones.

Source: Time

[ian]

the iPhone 7 also includes wired earbuds that connect to via the handset’s Lightning port as well as an adapter for connecting older wired headphones.

Source: Time

So they've removed the Audio jack, and put in an adaptor for a feature every phone has had for a decade??

I can't even begin to explain my thoughts on this move.

[OrangeRibbon]

the iPhone 7 also includes wired earbuds that connect to via the handset’s Lightning port as well as an adapter for connecting older wired headphones.

Source: Time

So they've removed the Audio jack, and put in an adaptor for a feature every phone has had for a decade??

I can't even begin to explain my thoughts on this move.

Don't forget the white wireless headphones cost $160 If you shop around you can get a pair of studio grade headphones for that.

[Roofus]

I predicted this back when they bought Beats.

[melancholy]

As I've been telling everyone, give it 2 years and you will see half of the new smartphones on the market dropping headphone jacks. My prediction is of a whole new market of USB-C and Lightning headphones. That headphone jack adds so much thickness to the phones, and if there's one thing tech companies love, it's making thinner phones.

[pixel]

It wouldn't be that bad if Apple would offer a bypass on the headphone adapter. Not being able to charge the phone and listen to wired headphones would be really annoying.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Apple AirPods indefinitely delayed beyond original “late October” window

Apple says wireless buds still aren't "ready for our customers."

Apple's new wireless, $180 AirPods have less than a week to meet their original shipping target of "late October," and now the company has confirmed that such a launch is officially off the table.

A Wednesday statement, given to Ars Technica just one day ahead of the company's latest Mac-related press event, confirmed Apple's decision to delay the wireless headphones' launch. In the statement, Apple tells Ars that the company "needs a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers."

"The early response to AirPods has been incredible," the Apple statement reads. "We don't believe in shipping a product before it's ready."

Apple declined to offer any estimate or release window information about when to expect the AirPods' official launch. We can only imagine that Apple wants "a little more time" to be somewhere within the next few weeks so that this holiday season's rabid iPhone 7 and 7 Plus shoppers can pony up for wireless earbuds for their jack-less phones. Perhaps timing information will appear on the product's official site soon; currently, it still reads "late October."

Source: Ars Technica