Submitted by Frank Macey on
Late October is here, and Apple has announced a delay in the AirPods release date. While an official ship date for the wireless AirPods has never been revealed, the company was originally planning to launch the new headphones around this time. An Apple spokesperson explained to TechCrunch, "We don’t believe in shipping a product before it’s ready, and we need a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers."
The representative also said that the early response to AirPods has been "incredible". The company did not elaborate on what issues are holding back the launch. The wireless headphones have made quite a splash since their announcement at the iPhone 7 event in September. Featuring a custom Apple W1 chip, the Bluetooth ear buds charge in their carrying case and connect between devices automatically.
Incredibly small, AirPods are the wireless version of EarPods. Several advanced pieces of hardware are included such as beam forming microphones, infrared sensors to detect when they are in use, and accelerometers to detect gestures. Apple states that AirPods are easily paired with compatible iPhones, Macs and the Apple Watch. In fact, switching between devices is said to be a seamless experience.
Early reviews have been mostly positive. The W1 chip is said to utilize Class 1 Bluetooth, which has a much longer range of 300-400 feet. Apple already sells two models with the W1 audio chip: Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones and the Powerbeats 3 (available for pre-order). When AirPods hit the market, they will retail for $159.