W1

Gruber: AirPods might launch in time for Christmas

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 12, 2016

An authorized Apple retailer claimed today that the upcoming W1-equipped BeatsX earphones may not release in another 2-3 months. But what about AirPods? Daring Fireball's John Gruber said loosely on the latest episode of The Talk Show that AirPods, the company's first Bluetooth earphones, may arrive in time for Christmas after all, albeit in very limited quantities. You're advised to take this speculative report with a grain of salt because the sources Gruber's learned this from are not very reliable, according to the man himself.

New BeatsX earphones with Apple W1 chip may not ship for at least 2-3 months

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 12, 2016

It's not just AirPods—according to an alleged email Apple sent to an authorized reseller, the new $149.95 BeatsX earphones rocking an in-house designed Apple W1 wireless chip may not start shipping for at least 2-3 months. As reported on by MacRumors, authorized reseller B&H Photo Video told a customer Apple's informed them that the new earphones will miss the company's self-proclaimed fall 2016 launch and are unlikely to start shipping before February or March 2017.

WSJ: AirPods delayed because of issues with dual Bluetooth connectivity

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 9, 2016

Apple’s mysterious AirPods delay continues to puzzle us. Marking a rare public misstep, the company's failed to make its first-ever Bluetooth earphones available in time for the critical holiday season because, as Apple said, it needed “a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers.”

A person familiar with the product's development told the Wall Street Journal on Friday that the problem with the AirPods stems from Apple's efforts to “chart a new path for wireless headphones” and, specifically, resolve what happens when you lose one of the earphones or its battery dies on you.

Powerbeats3 Wireless earphones with W1 chip & 12-hour battery available to preorder

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2016

Powerbeats3 Wireless earphones, a successor to the Powerbeats2 Wireless edition, are now available to buy from Apple.com in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, China and elsewhere. The accessory is available in White, Shock Yellow, Flash Blue, Black and Siren Red.

Listings for the $199.95 Bluetooth earphones on local Apple.com websites display delivery estimates ranging from 2-3 days to 1-2 weeks.