AirPods Delay Attributed to Apple Ensuring Both Earpieces Receive Audio at Same Time [Updated]

[imaginex20]

Interesting article with a virtual and speculative "teardown" of the Airpods... including comments on synchronization:

http://www.nickhunn.com/airpods-a-speculative-teardown/

I wouldn't be surprised if Apple is already using some features of Bluetooth 5 in the W1 chipset. Can't wait for the AirPods...

 

[ryanwarsaw]

You realize that 15 min. of charging gets you an additional 3 hours of use? If you are listening to your EarPods for more than 5 hours straight without interruption, and can't even take a 15 min. break, then suffice it to say, Apple is not considering you a primary target for the AirPods. Even the most diehard music lover can take 15 min to go to the bathroom without listening to music every 3 hours. The Airpods also allow mono use, which means that you could charge one Airpod at a time for 15 min. each and keep listening to your audio program in mono. heck, Apple might even sell replacement buds individually, and a savvy AirPod user could have 3 buds they rotate every 3 hours so a pair is fully charged at all times.

First, for their size, no other earbuds I've seen introduced so far comes close to offering that kind of battery life. If the AirPod's really don't fit your lifestyle, there are several other options like the PowerBeats 3, and Beats Studio 3, the latter of which gives you 40 hours on one charge.

You can also just use the bundled headphones for a few minutes while the Airpods charge. I didn't quote your entire post but thank you for taking the time to type out your reply.

 

[Abazigal]

You can also just use the bundled headphones for a few minutes while the Airpods charge. I didn't quote your entire post but thank you for taking the time to type out your reply.

I think if I get the AirPods, I won't bother bringing the EarPods around with me ever. But I likely won't need to listen to music 5 hours straight, and there will be plenty of avenues to recharge it in between. Unless I get really careless or forgetful, the AirPods should always have a charge when I need it.

 

[BruiserB]

The selling point of the W1 chip is that it lets you pair easily with any of your Apple devices, not just those with an NFC chip. One theory is that Apple simply views NFC as an inelegant solution to an inelegant problem. You won't be able to pair your Bose headphones to your iPad or your Mac because those lack NFC chips. You would be able to pair your airpods to those easily because of how Apple controls the underlying software and hardware.

It's also possible that Apple wants to lock you into W1 headphones. Which would be so very Apple. They give you one fixed solution to a problem, but the tradeoff is that any Apple-sanctioned solution is typically better than any third-party solution out there.

But it's not the W1 chip that allows the pairing to iPad or Mac seamlessly....it's iCloud that does it. It may be part of the initial pairing to your phone, but then the credentials are propagated through iCloud.

 

[44267547]

I think if I get the AirPods, I won't bother bringing the EarPods around with me ever. But I likely won't need to listen to music 5 hours straight, and there will be plenty of avenues to recharge it in between. Unless I get really careless or forgetful, the AirPods should always have a charge when I need it.

I think the longest I have listened to music on the EarPods was no more than an hour. Five straight hours is longer than most would use in a single sitting. Even so, 15 minutes of charging is equivalent to three hours of use. Fairly good numbers for a first Gen product. If the audio and comfortability is solid, then we have a winner for many in my opinion.

 

[The Game 161]

I think the longest I have listened to music on the EarPods was no more than an hour. Five straight hours is longer than most would use in a single sitting. Even so, 15 minutes of charging is equivalent to three hours of use. Fairly good numbers for a first Gen product. If the audio and comfortability is solid, then we have a winner for many in my opinion.

Agreed

When working I may use it 30 mins in morning and night walking to work and from work to then to my car then 1 hour in gym. Then maybe an hour or two at home so really it would be hard to be out of power.

That said I'm going to get the powerbeats too in the meantime while I wait for airpods

 

[dilbert99]

They get a pass for waiting and not releasing it, unlike some companies who don't wait, release, and stuff starts exploding.

And a fail for all the other AppleGates....
A pass/fail kind of company.
A love/hate relationship.

I think I now know what a love/hate relationship is now, I used to love Apple (but don't quite hate them yet)
[doublepost=1481450414][/doublepost]

This makes no physical sense what so ever. These buds are, what a foot apart and bluetooth happens at the speed of ***** light. Receiving the signal at the same time is nonsense. If it is two independent signals and the problem is that the earbuds aren't receiving the right signals at the right time, its because the right signals aren't being broadcast at the right time.

And honestly, how is such a simple problem such a huge obstacle for Apple? For how long have we been broadcasting simultaneous stereo radio signals?

If I was thinking about what the kind of issue is...
there are two buds that do not talk to each other, neither knows where each is at.
So the phone controls the sync, It doesn't matter what speed the signals travel at, its all about the sync, getting both to play the same beat at the same time.
The phone sends a bunch of packets and each pod has to confirm that it has received it.
Each pod is gathering a queue of packets to play next.
I'd imagine that each bud has a clock in it to synchronise the queue of packets to be played.

Hmmm, not really sure what kinds of things would make this go out of sync. I am a developer, but don't work with bluetooth audio. I do know the unexpected does happen from time to time.

Doesn't seem like that hard a problem to solve (on the face of it in my perhaps naive thinking)

 

[kentsydney]

So they were potentially delayed for technical related issues. So be it. I would rather have a product that works exceptionally versus be riddled with intermittent fault errors. And it won't change that these won't sell, because they will sell out/back order with in the hour.

Yes I agree- I work in product development and this stuff is hard. Technical and engineering problems can take a while to sort out and it's so easy for arm chair experts not directly involved to know what to do. What happens when problems are not fully addressed is what Samsung has experienced is massive recalls

 

[Bacillus]

Meanwhile, in the boardroom in Cupertino:
Joni: Gee, Tim. I am afraid. Times are hard. People have come to hate us.
Tim: Yes, these are rough times. But keep in mind: its all due to the press.
Nothing new. I spoke Donny who says he's President now, despite all the negative press.
So, Heads up guys. And there is great news: They asked me to leave, but I won't !!
Joni: Well, you're leaving at 18:00 on weekdays so that can't be the problem. The problem is we always return... So why not go for a longer holiday now - and keep everything as it is ?
Phil: But it's terrible as it is. Some people online had the guts to call me a guinea pig.
Greg: Well, yet to see prove of the opposite. But anyway, we have to deliver something new before we all get served for Christmess dinner - in whatever form.
Tim: Well, there isn't anything new. The pipeline is empty. People can hang their Christmas trees full of MacBooks. At my level, it ain't about delivering. It's all about politics. So Donald said he is with us, as long as we do something valuable to the US.
Phil: We could buy a few mines in the MidWest and throw all our obsolete stuff in it ? Bury our AppleCar so deep that no one will find out how marginal it was ?
Tim: Well, that would certainly fill a hole, but not ours.
I think the best thing to do now is to raise product prices. Now that will give a shock ! And it will improve our financial outlook. Shareholders will love the improved margins. And we deserve it. Plus, it will distract all media attention from missing products !!
Phil: I could make an ad. ApplePay makes our day ! We could launch a special ApplePay app just to pay ourselves... Pay Different !!
Joni: Nice Christmas idea. People will feel so good contributing to something as great as we are. They will be proud. And feel elevated.
Phil: But we need zillions of them. Make it an AppStore Christmas giveaway. Free !!!
Joni: Great idea - it also serves our own interests ! Eddy could have come up with this.
Tim: Wait a minute, it should be safe and privacy must be guaranteed !
Phil: I guess you mean our own privacy. But I am more focused to get it on top of the search lists. And the search lists can't be found anymore with all the app rumble in there. Greg, make sure it's an automatic payload. Undeleteable, obviously.
Tim: Will it improve on diversity, and the environment ?
Joni: No. We'll put it in ROM for all the new models. Won't make them much thicker.
Greg: Yeeaah ! Great new feature between all mai bug fixez !! iOS 12 will blow your suckz off (and our accounts up...)
Tim: Problem solved. Let's go for lunch...

 

[d0nK]

And honestly, how is such a simple problem such a huge obstacle for Apple? For how long have we been broadcasting simultaneous stereo radio signals?

Because they are probably trying to get a few patents out of this so they can milk the profits in future areas.

 

[telecine]

a little bird told me that had problems with the earphones getting too hot... don't flame me.. this is a rumour site...xx

 

[pedrotaquelim]

Macrumors and all other internet websites are full of paid freelance trolls.
It's almost impossible to try to have a constructive criticism or a discussion in here anymore.
The professional trolls have taken over. The internet marketing and influence war is the new cold war. From politics to brand competition, this is the way you try to destroy the other guy. By shouting out pre-recorded bs over and over again, until there is a sheep herd singing along the same bs post after post, day after day, week after week,… Until almost everyone just spits the same blind bs even before some product comes out of the factory.

Now, just wait for the next troll comes along and replies to this comment with the same pre-recorded bs. "Ahaha, an Apple fan boy calling sheep herd to the next guy. The irony. The irony."
3…2…1…

bye Macrumors

 

[budselectjr]

Macrumors and all other internet websites are full of paid freelance trolls.
It's almost impossible to try to have a constructive criticism or a discussion in here anymore.
The professional trolls have taken over. The internet marketing and influence war is the new cold war. From politics to brand competition, this is the way you try to destroy the other guy. By shouting out pre-recorded bs over and over again, until there is a sheep herd singing along the same bs post after post, day after day, week after week,… Until almost everyone just spits the same blind bs even before some product comes out of the factory.

Now, just wait for the next troll comes along and replies to this comment with the same pre-recorded bs. "Ahaha, an Apple fan boy calling sheep herd to the next guy. The irony. The irony."
3…2…1…

bye Macrumors

Where do I sign up to get paid? People always make this claim but never disclose who is signing the checks.

Anyways, I'm going to wait until the AirPods get the OLED touch bar before I buy.

 

[Bacillus]

Macrumors and all other internet websites are full of paid freelance trolls.
It's almost impossible to try to have a constructive criticism or a discussion in here anymore.
The professional trolls have taken over. The internet marketing and influence war is the new cold war. From politics to brand competition, this is the way you try to destroy the other guy. By shouting out pre-recorded bs over and over again, until there is a sheep herd singing along the same bs post after post, day after day, week after week,… Until almost everyone just spits the same blind bs even before some product comes out of the factory.

Now, just wait for the next troll comes along and replies to this comment with the same pre-recorded bs. "Ahaha, an Apple fan boy calling sheep herd to the next guy. The irony. The irony."
3…2…1…

bye Macrumors

Many readers here found this place and contributed over the years on what they like as customers, how products could be improved etc.
Now a set of overcapitalist selfish ignorant senseless pranks are letting down these loyal customers, effectively killing a healthy computer business, the best of its breed, that was given to them - and so betray their visionary company founder.
And now you're saying that those who contributed to it and paid for it - can't express their anger and should leave this all uncommented ?

Rewind the film a decade, please.

 

[nia820]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Apple should have waited until iphone 8 to remove the headphone jack. Earpods clearly were not ready for the public but Apple tried to push them out anyway.

Quality control really has taken a hit at Apple. Its sloppy of them.

 

[Phone Junky]

Yes I agree- I work in product development and this stuff is hard. Technical and engineering problems can take a while to sort out and it's so easy for arm chair experts not directly involved to know what to do. What happens when problems are not fully addressed is what Samsung has experienced is massive recalls

Which is why you work out all the engineering problems, manufacturing problems, etc. BEFORE you announce a release date. Makes no sense to announce a release before everything is finalized and good to go. Makes you look bad...

 

[rockyromero]

Makes you look bad...

Better to look bad.

Worse to be bad.

➰

 

[theluggage]

How often do you charge your phone and listen on headphones?

Rarely verging on never. I do, however, charge my iDevice while it is plugged into my HiFi. There are serious music composition apps for iOS which some people will want to play though big speakers (and wireless connections can introduce lags).

It all comes down to whether or not you believe Apple when they said that the headphone jack was removed in order to accommodate other hardware.

...to accommodate other hardware that Apple themselves had decided to add and to fit within the size/thickness constraints that Apple had set for themselves. Whichever way you cut it, its a consequence of Apple's design decisions, nobody else's.

When the first iPhone was released, critics pointed out how a physical keyboard was superior for typing compared to a software keyboard. They were absolutely right

However, Apple designed the hell out of the the iPhone's multitouch display and software keyboard, ending up with something far better than any software keyboard that came before it, that gave some phone-sized hardware keyboards a run for their money. If they'd just copied the horrible resistive touch-sensitive keyboards (that often needed a toothpick stylus to operate) on pre-iPhone smartphones, history would be a lot different.

This is the problem with the AirPod delay: the AirPods are supposed to be the must-have breakthrough in bluetooth earbuds that makes everybody stop whining about the loss of the audio jack.

 

[joeblow7777]

Apple: "We're getting rid of the headphone jack because it's 2016 and wired headphones are a thing of the past!"

*3 months later*

Apple: "Yeah, we're still trying to get our wireless earbuds to work. They'll be out sometime in 2017..."

 

[Carlanga]

They will release it as a monoaural device now. Saying stereo is overrated and we need to hear our surroundings.

 

[cmaier]

Weird. Saw this article with my left eye last week, but my right eye just saw it now.

 

[lysingur]

Interesting that those with review units didn't notice the issue... must have cropped up in rare instances.

Probably not so rare. The connection of Bluetooth-based wireless earphones tends to be decent inside a building with fewer interferences and where signals can bounce off walls but really bad outside in open areas. Most of the early testings are done inside controlled environments. I'd imagine AirPods aren't immune to problems suffered by other Bluetooth earphones despite the W1 chip. W1 gives AirPods a more stable connection but most likely still encounters latency when there are gazillion other Wi-fi and Bluetooth signals present.

Apple proclaims their vision for a wireless future a year too early. They really should've waited for Bluetooth v5. AirPods is going to be like any other first-generation Apple production, rife with annoying glitches at best, completely neutered at worst.

 

[cmaier]

Probably not so rare. The connection of Bluetooth-based wireless earphones tends to be decent inside a building with fewer interferences and where signals can bounce off walls but really bad outside in open areas. Most of the early testings are done inside controlled environments. I'd imagine AirPods aren't immune to problems suffered by other Bluetooth earphones despite the W1 chip. W1 gives AirPods a more stable connection but most likely still encounters latency when there are gazillion other Wi-fi and Bluetooth signals present.

Apple proclaims their vision for a wireless future a year too early. They really should've waited for Bluetooth v5. AirPods is going to be like any other first-generation Apple production, rife with annoying glitches at best, completely neutered at worst.

Having latency isn't a problem, (so long as it isn't so long that it causes mismatch with video), but the difference in latency between the two earpieces shouldn't be either. It's easy to design a circuit to measure that and to shift one signal or the other so that they arrive in sync. Phase locked loops have been doing that in the analog regime forever. I don't buy this report at all.

 

[lysingur]

This makes no physical sense what so ever. These buds are, what a foot apart and bluetooth happens at the speed of ***** light. Receiving the signal at the same time is nonsense. If it is two independent signals and the problem is that the earbuds aren't receiving the right signals at the right time, its because the right signals aren't being broadcast at the right time.

And honestly, how is such a simple problem such a huge obstacle for Apple? For how long have we been broadcasting simultaneous stereo radio signals?

The problem most likely has to do with the W1 chip. The engineers did their best to make up for Bluetooth v4.1's shortcomings with the W1 but still came up short. Apple shouldn't have gambled the debut of wireless future on the v4.1 standard, which is really meant for sedentary indoor use where interferences are kept to a minimum.

 

[Educ8r]

Apple should go ahead and release the AirPods while knowing there is a problem. When consumers start complaining about the AirPods not working properly Apple can then blame the consumer for pushing them to far in the ears or dropping them too many times or playing the wrong kind of music and charge $150+ to fix the problem that was no fault of Apple.