Tech
Release of Apple's wireless AirPods delayed indefinitely
by Tyler Munro
October 28, 2016
The AirPods were supposed to be out in October, but Apple said they aren't ready yet.
Wireless earbuds don’t have to look stupid, but Apple’s AirPods do. That was one of our first takeaways when the iPhone 7 unveiling revealed that Apple was ditching its headphone jack. The best wireless, Bluetooth-ready earbuds are sleek and often invisible; Apple’s look like an afterthought, as if the usual design-oriented company simply snipped the cord off their usual offerings.
Originally, the AirPods were expected out by late October, but earlier this week an Apple statement to Ars Technica confirmed that they’d be delayed. How long? Er… indefinitely?
Apple says it needs “needs a little more time before AirPods are ready for [its] customers,” adding that while the response to them has been “incredible,” they don’t believe in shipping a product before it’s ready.
It’s unlikely that they haven’t locked down the technology, since wireless Bluetooth audio has been a thing for years. Could they redesigning the AirPods, then? They won’t say. But one look at the AirPods and it’s easy to imagine them falling out of your ears with every step. Running? Forget about it. Remember – immediately after the EarPods were announced, accessory peddling third parties started selling wires for them.
We’re sure the AirPods will be fine when they come out. At $180, they’d better be. But when is increasingly becoming an if.
