Rumors of Apple launching a new pair of over-ear, high-end headphones first cropped up in 2018. Now, in 2020, the rumor mill suggests we could be getting close to a launch.
For instance, earlier today we reported that Apple could be planning to call the new over-ear headphones the “AirPods Studio”, and they could be priced starting at around $349. If that latter detail does indeed turn out to be true, it would certainly put the new headphones in the premium category. (And, incidentally, $100 more expensive than Microsoft’s brand new Surface Headphones 2 the company just announced this month.) Now, 9to5Mac has s new report that sheds some light on additional features the new headphones might bring to the table whenever they see the light of day.
According to the publication, the AirPods Studio will feature something similar to the AirPods’ “ear detection” feature, but it will work a bit differently because these headphones won’t actually go into the ear. The AirPods Studio will reportedly boast “head detection” and “neck detection”, with sensors built to determine where the headphones are positioned on the owner’s body. And, depending on whether or not the headphones are set on the owner’s head or neck, the headphones would be playing music or be turned on or off:
Based on this, we assume that AirPods Studio will play or pause content when they detect being placed on your head. Neck detection can be used to keep the headset turned on while the music is paused, just like when you take just one of the AirPods out of the ear.
Apple is apparently going to include a sensor that will also detect left and right ears on an owner’s head, suggesting that there might not be a specific way to wear the new AirPods Studio. And in addition to that, this report says the new AirPods Studio headphones will boast Apple’s Active Noise Cancellation feature, which will reduce external ambient noise while the headphones are being worn.
Connecting the AirPods Studio to an iOS device or a macOS computer will apparently tap into custom equalizer settings, what will only be available on Apple’s own devices and not present for other, third-party devices. This custom equalizer will allow owners to adjust low, medium, and high frequencies based on their needs and wants.
That’s all well and good, and it paints a pretty distinct picture for a pair of relatively expensive headphones. Plus, when you include the fact that previous reports have suggested the new headphones will feature magnetically swappable parts, and the AirPods Studio will feature two variants: one with lighter materials, and another that will feature premium leather fabrics. The headphones will probably come in two colors as well, with an asset discovered in iOS 14 code hinting at white and black versions for the new over-hear headphones.
Recent rumors have suggested we could see the new over-ear AirPods Studio launch sometime before the end of 2020, so it might be worth holding off on any new headphones purchases for at least a little while longer.
If the AirPods Studio eventually do see the light of day, will you consider picking them up? Let us know in the comments below!