AirPods Studio ‘Sport’ variant reportedly shown off in new image [Update: now with video]

There have been rumors swirling for quite some time that Apple is developing new, over-ear headphones. Not with Beats branding, but with the Apple logo instead.

Update (09/16/2020): While these headphones might not look like your typical Apple product, especially with the lack of white coloring, a new video fixes one of those issues. Fudge posted a very quick video of the same headphones, but in white, and you can check it out just below.

Now that you can see them in white, what do you think? Will you hold off judgement until the official reveal, or until you see them in person?

The original article continues below.

Most recently, those oft-rumored, but still unofficial headphones have picked up the “AirPods Studio” brand, so we’ll stick with that until Apple decides differently. While we’ve seen early hints at what the new headphones might look like, it hasn’t been much. Now, thanks to the Twitter user Fudge (@choco_bit), we’ve reportedly got our first look at the incoming headphones.

Fudge says these headphones, which you can see pictured above, are “probably” the “Sport variant” of Apple’s incoming AirPods Studio headphones. The design is almost industrial, with what appears to be a HomePod-like mesh installed on the earcups and headband.

While the design may look different than what you might expect from an Apple product (especially since it’s not painted white), this does appear to line up with previous reports. Bloomberg reported earlier this year that Apple is working on at least two variants of the AirPods Pro Studio headphones. The “Sport” model is likely to be the one described as a “fitness-focused model that uses lighter, breathable materials with small perforations”.

The other variant will reportedly use “leather-like fabrics”, which would be a more premium version.

That initial report described the prototypes for the new headphones as featuring a “retro look with oval-shaped earcups”. That would appear to line up with this image. The report also said the earcups would connect to the headband via “thin, metal arms”.

The AirPods Studio will also reportedly be modular, with future owners able to swap out individual parts like the  magnetic ear pads and remove the headband. It’s possible that Apple will offer a lot of customization options in the future, or even at launch. It’s also possible the “Sport” variant could simply swap into the more premium version when a user installs the “premium leather” parts.

The rumor mill

As far as the other rumors are concerned, there’s quite a bit. The upcoming AirPods Studio will reportedly feature Apple’s Active Noise Cancellation feature, and equalizer settings as well. But, more importantly, the new headphones will also reportedly feature “head and neck detection”. This feature will allow the headphones to automatically play or pause media when they detect if they’re on your head or placed around your neck. Apple has a similar feature for AirPods, with the music automatically pausing when you take one of the truly wireless earbuds out of your ear.

The AirPods Studio are reportedly going to cost $349 when they launch. Apple is more than likely going to host an event in October, primarily focused on the iPhone 12 lineup. However, it’s also possible the company could unveil the oft-rumored headphones, too.

Depending on price, design, and feature, are you already considering picking up the AirPods Studio when it launches?