Apple has had its hands in the audio industry for years now. Whether it’s the iPod, Apple Music, or AirPods, music products have been a part of the company’s identity for some time. According to Bloomberg, Apple is about to take things a step further via a couple of wireless over-ear headphones with a trick up their sleeves: modularity.
Bloomberg reports the company is working on two variations: one of which will be a premium variant featuring leather-like fabrics while the other will tout a fitness-focused design and more breathable materials.
Apparently, the prototype units feature a retro design with swiveling oval earcups that magnetically attach to the headband. This will allow users to customize the headphones similarly to how they can the Apple Watch‘s watch straps, jumping between formal and fitness styles on the fly.
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These headphones could feature similar pairing functionality and noise-canceling tech to what we see in the current AirPods Pro. We can also expect them to feature Siri onboard, integrated touch controls, and a hefty price tag.
Apple’s new headphones will likely compete in the premium wireless segment. Since they will take on the likes of Sennheiser, Sony, and Bose, they will probably cost a few hundred dollars.
Bloomberg also says Apple has been working on these premium wireless headphones since 2018, and they would have been released already had their launch not been postponed at least twice. Luckily, we probably won’t have to wait too long to see them. If the current coronavirus pandemic doesn’t negatively impact the launch even further, we could see them come to market by the end of the year.
Apple has not made an official announcement on the products yet, and a spokesperson declined to comment when approached by Bloomberg.
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