AirPods Might Not Launch Until January 2017

[FunkyTang]

If you need a Bluetooth set before the VaporPods arrive and you want to stick it to Apple, do the following.

1. Get the PowerBeats3 headphones and use them for 13 days
2. Return them to Apple
3. Get the Solo3 headphones and use them for 13 days
4. Return them to Apple
5. Rinse and repeat until the AirPods arrive

 

[newyorkone]

HUGE fail! Who dropped the pods...er, ball.

 

[rockyromero]

If you need a Bluetooth set before the VaporPods arrive and you want to stick it to Apple, do the following.

1. Get the PowerBeats3 headphones and use them for 13 days
2. Return them to Apple
3. Get the Solo3 headphones and use them for 13 days
4. Return them to Apple
5. Rinse and repeat until the AirPods arrive

Seems like a lot of effort for little return.

Much better to exercise DG: delayed gratification.

Airpods will come soon enough.

➰

 

[fpsBeaTt]

AirPods announced: Majority of MacRumors dismisses them as garbage and say they'd never buy them.

AirPods delayed: Majority of MacRumors acts like they were going to actually buy them and get outraged.

I honestly think a good portion of them are fanboys or paid shills of Apple's competitors.

 

[Jimmy James]

Courageous

 

[wigby]

So if the CEO is to blame you would've had no problem firing Jobs either. Jobs hired Cook to manage supply chain and then Jobs entrusted Cook with Apple. Who would you have picked?
[doublepost=1478053897][/doublepost]

A pathetic joke. Hype a product as the antidote to the "brave" decision to ditch the headphone jack, promise delivery by the "end of October", fail to deliver because "we need a little more time", possibly delay the release of said product until 4 months (!) after your flagship product it was meant for. I hope this rumor is false, but man does Apple know how to blow it. Sure, I want Apple to release products that work, but if it's not ready for prime time, don't even mention that it exists Apple! Who's the one who will be held accountable for this failure?

It is disappointing but try a little perspective. They could've started taking pre-orders now and make customers wait months which is what they do every year for iPhones and watches. Or they could've rushed it out and had exploding air pods ala Samsung. To me, they are laying out the problem to customers and saying "if you don't like it don't want to wait, there are competing options." So are you going to take them up on their offer or are you going to whine more?

 

[Mac 128]

Must have been unexpected issues that popped up with the review units and or initial production units. On to January for those that want them.

They really should have planned this better. This is the one accessory they absolutely had to get right and have available from the iPhone 7 launch date. Not only did they miss it, now they've missed their unspecified launch date

I wouldn't buy the iPhone 7 without these.

 

[Jax44]

Which wattage are those? The Quadcore Kabylakes are coming in the leaked Dell XPS Jan-Feb refresh. That's the same chip, surely?

Sure you're not thinking about the end cycle desktop chips?

Nope.

 

[jeff051177]

Coherence: "logical and orderly and consistent relation of parts"

• Apple release a phone without a headphone jack
• look at these cool new headphones that go with the phone..... but you can't buy them yet, or order them, until an unspecified date in the future.
• Apple have a whole division (?) developing headphones - but they seem to have been completely surprised by this development and don;t have anything ready-to-go either
• The headphones charge wirelessly, but the phone doesn't
• Apple's new laptop includes the headphone socket that, a few weeks ago, the team developing the iPhone told us was obsolete
• Apple's new laptop doesn't have a socket for connecting the wired apple headphones bundled with the new wonderphone
• Apple's new laptop doesn't even have the requisite port for you to plug in your new wonderphone, using the cable supplied with it. They do sell a cable - but they just can't organise themselves to put it in the box with either your new $1000 dollar phone, or your new $3000 dollar laptop
• Apple have dedicated stores.... but the salesmen don't know anything about upcoming products - even after they have been announced.

Apple need to get their sh*t together..... this is basic business administration - they need to get their product development cycles in-sync.

 

[Pootmatoot]

Nope.

Umm... care to elaborate?

 

[Mac 128]

Coherence: "logical and orderly and consistent relation of parts"

• Apple release a phone without a headphone jack
• look at these cool new headphones that go with the phone..... but you can't buy them yet, or order them, until an unspecified date in the future.
• Apple have a whole division (?) developing headphones - but they seem to have been completely surprised by this development and don;t have anything ready-to-go either
• The headphones charge wirelessly, but the phone doesn't
• Apple's new laptop includes the headphone socket that, a few weeks ago, the team developing the iPhone told us was obsolete
• Apple's new laptop doesn't have a socket for connecting the wired apple headphones bundled with the new wonderphone
• Apple's new laptop doesn't even have the requisite port for you to plug in your new wonderphone, using the cable supplied with it. They do sell a cable - but they just can't organise themselves to put it in the box with either your new $1000 dollar phone, or your new $3000 dollar laptop
• Apple have dedicated stores.... but the salesmen don't know anything about upcoming products - even after they have been announced.

Apple need to get their sh*t together..... this is basic business administration - they need to get their product development cycles in-sync.

I agree with your observations on all but whether to include a USB-C cable with the iPhone 7. Apple made the right decision here.

 

[pika2000]

Whoa, this is kinda a blunder. Wondering what's the holdup. I mean it's probably not the W1 chip as the Beats earbuds and headphones using it are being released. I know people who wanted the AirPods from day 1. This could've been some stocking stuffers.

 

[rezwits]

Motorola BT 2.1 Headphones were ok, dropped out a little too much, then BT 4.0 came out, things were a little better, so I said ok, and got the Motorola BT 3.0 ones, at the time they didn't have BT 4.0. I said I would get the Motorola 4.0 ones if/when they come out. But Apple came out with these and I cried... just in time because my Motorola 3.0 are kinda getting weak in the battery department, thing is tho I have never been able to reliable make phone calls with them HAHA, but who does that anyway, I just listen to audio/music, I mean yeah I guess I have made 10 calls in the 2 years I have had them? But they are sketchy as a mutha...

I just really hope when I drop the duckets for these you can make phones calls with microphones that just ALWAYS work, so there is no fear of "Hello, Hello? hold on hold on hey give me a sec, (pull iPhone out, switch) you there?, yeah ok so anyways..."

Hate that!

 

[dmonnin]

go to apple insider. they are reporting this as bogus and are saying airpods are still on track to ship in time for the holidays. I'm thinking they'll be available in November mid to late

 

[Cigsm]

Why don't you show us truly wireless Bluetooth earphones that have the technology this does for a cheaper price? We'll wait

Apart from being way too overpriced, this is a bad sign...

 

[44267547]

I think the Airpods look okay. They are basically EarPods without the wires. If you think the EarPods look fine, there isn't really any reason why one might have problems with the look of the Airpods.

I am most intrigued by the W1 chip, and the promise of being able to connect and switch pairings seamlessly between my Apple devices. That's really my number one bugbear with Bluetooth headphones.

From the studies and reviews I have read, including from another forum member who had the opportunity to beta test the Airpods, the reviews are good. The sound quality and clarity seems to be reported positively. The W1 chip is a starting point and can easily expand beyond its current capabilities.

I think where the User will really Judge the Airpods is with the overall comfort and if they manage to stay secure in the ear. If the Airpods are not comfortable, then you won't wear them.

 

[Floris]

An Apple event in January, what, we finally getting new iMacs, Airpods, mac mini, etc .. so they're not 25 years old ?
That would be worth a wait, march: no, january: i can overcome that.

 

[Cigsm]

lol you do know that one share of Apple from 2012 at $100 is now 8 shares at $111 each right? That's an 800% return.

Look at AAPL appreciation over the last 5 years:

September 2012 AAPL = $100 5 years later AAPL = $111 2%/year appreciation - that is piss poor.

 

[AZ63]

Strangely enough, it seems like it has gotten worse since then. It feels like he has this grand vision, but the realities of the situation keep interfering, and then timelines get all screwed up, but instead of doing what Jobs would do and say "Nah, we're going to wait until everything is ready and in place" they just release it anyway even though it's really confusing. There doesn't seem to be anyone at Apple like Jobs who is editing and putting his foot down on things because they can not only see the greater picture, but see how it will come together or needs to come together.

My point exactly.
While Steve let Jony play and develop for the future he didn't put all the eggs in Jony's basket. Steve kept updating the lines keeping them annually-ish current not the one horse pony Tim is riding, namely the iPhone.
How embarrassed does Phil feel know with the "can't innovate my ass" comment? Had he known Apple wasn't going to update it for years, if ever, he might have chosen other words.

 

[44267547]

They really should have planned this better. This is the one accessory they absolutely had to get right and have available from the iPhone 7 launch date. Not only did they miss it, now they've missed their unspecified launch date

I wouldn't buy the iPhone 7 without these.

Being Apple deleted the 3.5 Jack and then transitioned into why they deleted the Jack during the KeyNote, was a phase ultimately leading to the Airpods. The Airpods was Apple's way of offering a remedy to why they believe Bluetooth is the future. Thus, failing to deliver the Airpods at the end of October is unfortunate and disappointing. Now, that won't stop them from selling out when they do release. At the moment, yes, it doesn't look good and at least Apple could have a released a statement to its customers apologizing for the delay. But Apple providing an explanation for the reason for the delay is unknown and will remain this way, being how secretive of a company they are.

 

[BvizioN]

This would have never happened if the 3.5mm jacks were still alive.

Fixed that for you.

 

[verpeiler]

Why don't you show us truly wireless Bluetooth earphones that have the technology this does for a cheaper price? We'll wait

So there haven't been any truly (lol?) wireless earphones for several years? Apple invented them? Wow.

 

[cosmichobo]

Why didn't Apple just re-invent the headphones by changing the 3.5mm plug into a lightning plug? Instead of including an adaptor to use 3.5mm earphones, you just use Apple's lightning earphones. Would be a hell of a lot cheaper than the wireless option.

 

[GadgetBen]

You mean the tube specifically engineered to allow more resonance and airflow and therefore increased bass response vs. the same design without?

Yea that makes sense....

What nonsense! Airflow!

I'd rather have *slightly* less bass then - if I had to look like I'm wearing white earrings!

 

[OllyW]

lol you do know that one share of Apple from 2012 at $100 is now 8 shares at $111 each right? That's an 800% return.

The share split in 2014 was actually 7:1. The price @Apple Corps quoted has been adjusted to reflect this as pre-split shares actually went over the $700 mark in 2012.