AirPods
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Apple's AirPods won't be ready for the holidays
Apple announced the AirPods during September's "See You" event with a scheduled launch at the end of October. But late that month, the company delayed shipments without setting a release date in the future. Well, the tech titan's wireless headphones still haven't come out and it's unclear when they'll finally be ready for the public. For a company that places enormous emphasis on the pageantry of dramatically unveiling and releasing its products to a ravenous public, this is an unusual and humbling letdown.
Apple delays AirPod launch beyond October
We hope you weren't dead set on getting a pair of AirPods in the immediate future. Apple tells our TechCrunch colleagues that it's delaying the launch of its self-branded Bluetooth earbuds past their original late October launch window. The company needs a "little more time" to make them ready for your ears, according to a spokesperson. It's not clear what prompted the last-minute move, but early reviewers have occasionally noticed bugs -- it may just be a question of polish.
The bottom line: Our quick verdict on Apple's AirPods
The fact that they look like Q-tips sticking out of your ears is just the beginning: There are other reasons you might want to think twice about buying Apple's wireless, weird-looking AirPods. For the money -- $159 -- these earbuds offer audio quality that isn't any better than what you'd get with the iPhone's pack-in EarPods. We'd also like it if Apple allowed more flexibility with the controls. Right now, for instance, you need to use Siri or take out your phone if you want to do basic things like change tracks or adjust the volume. On the plus side, the earbuds are dead-simple to set up, and work well for voice calls and Siri requests, even if they're nothing special for music playback. Unless you're an early adopter, you're better off waiting for Apple to release a next-gen version and/or drop the price.
The Engadget Podcast, Ep 6: I Beg Your Pardon
Managing editor Dana Wollman and reviews editor Cherlynn Low join host Terrence O'Brien to discuss all the latest Apple goodies. Plus they'll talk about Samsung's software bandaid for your exploding Note 7 and debate whether or not Edward Snowden deserves a presidential pardon.
The AirPods aren't a must-buy (yet)
The iPhone 7 goes on sale in a few days, and with it comes another nail in the headphone jack's proverbial coffin. Included in the box you'll find a pair of Lightning-tipped EarPods and a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter for your analog headphones, but to hear Apple tell it, the future of music is wireless. That's where the $159 AirPods come in: the company's totally cordless earbuds are slated for an October launch, and they promise elegance, ease of use and great sound. They deliver ... some of that, but after about a week of testing, they often felt as confusing as they did cool. Note: Our original review was conducted with AirPods that we understood to be consumer ready, but in hindsight that obviously wasn't the case. After using the originals for about three months with no issue, I received a final-production set, and was able to compare the two. We have since updated this review with further impressions. Long story short: We are bumping the score from 79 to 80, but generally speaking all of our earlier praise and criticism still applies.
Apple's AirPods get a $10 tether (so maybe you won't lose them)
Apple's incoming AirPods are a technical marvel, cramming a load of tech into the same teeny tiny earbud cases that have been packaged with iPhones for years. While we wait to test a pair out for ourselves, accessory makers have wasted no time in correcting possible design faults in Apple's new headphones. Spigen has taken it upon itself to announce a ten-dollar tangle-free strap to keep the 'phones together -- and, well, un-wireless them.
The Engadget Podcast, Ep 5: Applesauce
Editor in Chief Michael Gorman, executive editor Christopher Trout and managing editor Dana Wollman join host Terrence O'Brien for a special all Apple edition of the podcast from San Francisco. On the show they'll search for the definition of courage, tell you what it's really like on the floor of a major press event and give a state of the Apple union.
Those new AirPods will work with non-Apple devices
Despite listing software requirements to the contrary in yesterday's press release, The Verge reports that Apple's new AirPods will work with devices other than its own. By doing so, you'll forfeit the proximity pairing feature that using the wireless earbuds with an iPhone affords and you won't be able to use Siri. During yesterday's announcement, the official PR for the audio accessories listed software requirements of iOS 10, watchOS 3 or macOS Sierra. However, it seems that's only the case if you want to employ all the tools AirPods have to offer.
Apple's AirPods toe the line between usefulness and gimmickry
Apple's embracing this whole "no headphone jack" thing in a big way, and there's no better indicator than the company's new $159 AirPods. They're not quite ready for public consumption -- the launch is scheduled for next month -- but Apple had plenty of pairs to play with here at its iPhone launch event in San Francisco. As far as first impressions go, the AirPods certainly seem neat enough. Still, do they have the chops to become a must-have for iPhone owners? I really, really doubt it.
Courage is not how you sell iPhones
Today, during the annual iPhone event, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller said Apple was ditching the headphone jack found in pretty much every audio device ever made because of "courage." Yeah, not so much.
Apple rolls out new Beats headphones with AirPod tech built-in
Apple just confirmed it's ditching the old headphone jack, and also rolling out upgraded wireless headphones called AirPods. Naturally, its Beats brand is getting in the game, announcing headphones with the same W1 chip inside and slick wireless capabilities when used with an iPhone 7. All three models announced today include Class 1 Bluetooth to work across all kinds of media sources and some form of Fast Fuel charging. On the new BeatsX earphones, that means a promised 2 hours playback based on just five minutes of charging via Lightning cable, or eight hours on a full charge. They'll be available this fall in black or white for $150.
Apple's high-end wireless earbuds may not ship with iPhone 7
The long-rumoured death of the iPhone's headphone jack has left everybody wondering: What's going to become of Apple's EarPods? Well, they'll probably go wireless, but according to one analyst, they won't come with your iPhone. They'll be sold separately -- and they might be expensive. KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple will announce a pair of high-end "AirPod" earbuds tomorrow as a premium accessory for iPhone 7 buyers. They won't come in the box like Apple's current earbuds, he says, and may not even use Bluetooth.
