Apple will deliver its new over-ear headphones, with interchangeable ear pads and other parts, “later this year,” claims a Thursday report from Bloomberg.
The company is said to be working on at least two variations of the product, including one “premium version” and another focused on fitness with a lighter design. Like AirPods Pro, they will be wireless with active noise-cancellation.
Getting replacement ear tips for AirPods Pro just got whole lot easier. On Wednesday, these went up for sale on the Apple Store, and can be ordered like any other product.
That’s far easier than getting these used to be.
If you own multiple iOS devices, then AirPods are supremely convenient. As soon as you connect them to one device, they automatically pair (and remain paired) to all your other devices. So, if you have a Mac, an iPhone, an iPad, and an Apple Watch, then all you have to do is tap connect on whichever device you want to use.
The problem is that the connect button is hidden, and a pain to reach. You have to swipe to open Control Center, then tap the AirPlay icon, then tap your AirPods in the list. And then wait a few seconds to see if it worked. Admittedly, this is a small inconvenience, but we can make it better. How about adding a button to your iPhone Home screen or Mac Dock that connects the AirPods with one tap?
If you’ve ever looked at your AirPods and thought they need to be more Pikachu, Razer has the perfect set of earbuds for you. Its new Pokémon wireless headphones are bright yellow and ship with an incredibly cool Poké Ball charging case. They’re set to debut later this week.
Apple is shipping out replacement AirPods buds with unreleased firmware that makes them unusable for now.
Some users have been holding onto new AirPods that they cannot use for more than a week. They will remain useless until Apple makes its version 2D3 AirPods firmware available to the public.
Investors won’t get their first glimpse at just how badly the COVID-19 pandemic hurt Apple’s business until the very end of April.
April revealed this afternoon that it will host a conference call with investors on Thursday, April 30, at 2 p.m. Pacific. The company said in February that it expects revenues to come in lower than its guidance due to the coronavirus outbreak that shut down Apple’s stores and production pipeline during the quarter.
Apple is readying new over-ear headphones and “AirPods X” for 2020 as it plans to slowly “phase out Beats,” a tipster claimed Tuesday.
We could see the company’s new over-ear headphones during the online-only Worldwide Developers Conference this June. However, the company’s sportier take on AirPods is expected to come in the fall. Currently, Apple is supposedly working to clear out Beats inventory.
Save 20% on the Cult of Mac Store’s entire lineup of awesome accessories from Twelve South. AirPods cases, iPhone chargers, iPad stands and more are all available at a discounted rate for a limited time only.
The sale includes some of Twelve South’s most popular products, including HiRise Wireless, AirSnap, and BookArc. The discounts disappear tonight, so enjoy them while you can!
Apple is hooking up its employees with some huge discounts on a few of its audio products this week.
It’s unclear whether it’s being done to help employees be entertained while working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic or an effort to move surplus units during a sales lull.
One of the nicest features of the latest AirPods is the ability to charge them wirelessly. Just plunk them on top of a Qi-compatible charger and you’re good to go. But what about the original AirPods, which didn’t come with a wireless charging case?
Well, now you can add Qi charging for just $25, thanks to Elkson’s Wireless Charging and Bumper Case.
Need a new MacBook Pro? You won’t want to miss Woot’s brilliant deal on 13-inch models, refurbished by Apple, which are now available for as little as $679.99. Or pick up the brand-new 2020 Mac mini from $699 — $100 off its usual price tag.
That’s just some of the awesome offers in today’s Deals & Steals roundup that will help you tackle self-isolation and working from home during the COVID-19 crisis. Other highlights include:
Find all these discounts and more in today’s Deals & Steals roundup.
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China’s production pipelines are finally getting back into full swing just in time to start building the 2020 iPhone.
Foxconn, Apple’s top iPhone assembler, says it has hired enough workers at all major Chinese plants to meet seasonal demand for iPhone production, in what could be a strong signal that the labor shortages in China caused by COVID-19 are starting to get back to normal.
Apple’s supply issues for two crucial products appear to finally be getting better, based on tracking data by Loop Ventures.
Both the iPhone and AirPods are starting to ship out to customers sooner than in previous weeks as suppliers in China finally get back up to full speed. The only thing that’s unclear is whether the improved shipping times are due to China getting back to work, or because customers in the U.S. are hunkering down.
Apple doesn’t just hold a lead over its competitors in the wearables market. It captured a 36.5 percent share of the market in the final quarter of 2019.
Second-place Xiaomi’s slice of the pie was under 11 percent.
Sennheiser’s new Momentum True Wireless 2 earbuds are ready to take on AirPods Pro with better battery life and active noise cancellation. They follow the highly rated True Wireless headphones that debuted in 2018, and despite some big improvements, they retain the same $299 price tag.
| Even with the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus battering Apple’s supply chain, Apple hasn’t revised its shipping forecasts for its crazy popular AirPods, a report published Friday claims.
Digitimes notes that Apple is “expected to stick” to its plan to ship 90 million pairs of AirPods in 2020. That’s an increase of 50% from Apple’s shipments last year. The report cites sources from the supply chain. |
Apple has told its retail store employees worldwide not to recommend customers physically try on an Apple Watch or in-ear AirPods, in an effort to cut down on the spread of coronavirus.
Customers can still ask to try on the products, but employees have been told not to offer the opportunity, according to a published report Wednesday.
Apple dropped its newest AirPods Pro ad on Wednesday, showcasing the biggest selling point of its newest wireless buds. “Snap” uses busy streets and crazy dancing to demonstrate how effective noise cancellation can be.
The clearest look yet at Apple’s upcoming over-the-ear headphones was unearthed from an early build of iOS 14 this week.
Icons for Apple’s unreleased over-the-ear headphones were spotted by 9to5Mac, revealing a few features about the headphones’ design as well as a possible timeframe on when they might launch to the public.
Apple’s next AirPods go into production very soon, according to an unconfirmed report coming out of Asia. These are the wireless headphones that are typically referred to as AirPods Pro Lite, though they are unlikely to have that name when released.
Unnamed Target retail store employees are sharing details of what some believe are soon-to-be-released Apple updates using purported images of product listings from the companies retail inventory system.
The supposed new products include Apple AirPods X Generation, a 10.5-inch iPad, a new generation Apple TV, a new iPod touch and a series of new Apple Watch bands.
This week on The CultCast: New iPads Pro, new AirPods and AirTags are incoming, but Apple warns coronavirus could mean big manufacturing delays. Plus: From cut and paste, to Newton, and more — we remember the inventions of tech folk hero Larry Tesler.
And stick around for an all new What We’re Into, where Leander pitches some of the most bizarre shows on TV.
Our thanks to LinkedIn for supporting this episode. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters … head to LinkedIn.com/cultcast and get a $50 credit toward your first job post.
Production of some AirPods components has managed to stay at normal levels despite the COVID-19 virus causing problems with Apple’s supply chain and stores in China.
AirPods Pro supplies were constrained months before the coronavirus outbreak in China. Tim Cook told investors that he couldn’t predict when production would finally catch up, but a new report gives some encouraging signs that things could get back to normal soon.
Apple is shifting a portion of AirPods, iPad and Apple Watch production from China to Taiwan as the tech giant continues to deal with coronavirus-related delays in China.
The virus, called COVID-19, has forced Apple to diversity on the fly its China-reliant production model. Much of the country remains quarantined and restricted in travel, and Apple assembly and supply partners are unable to operate at full capacity.
Marshall’s best over-the-ear headphones finally gained active noise cancellation (ANC) with a big update that pushes the vintage-inspired cans into the modern age.
The new Monitor II ANC headphones were revealed by Marshall this morning and along with adding ANC to put them on par with AirPods Pro, the headphones also have a nifty multi-directional control knob that lets you easily control music and phone functions without touching your phone.