Apple-Branded Over-Ear Headphones Said to Launch as Early as Second Half of 2019

[KPandian1]

Jeez, you want some salt for that chip on your shoulder?

Nah! I don't take salt with my Apple, kills the taste. Like fast food.

Maybe it's time to find another phone/computer/accessories manufacturer and bring some happiness to your life? It's not too late.

Have you seen the other brands?

Brand loyalty to Apple doesn't mean I can't bitch about the recent turn for the worse in their products, customer service and management (outright lies), Apple Care price and deductible, and overall approach.

 

[sofila]

Still something that’s never officially announced with a release date can’t be delayed. AirPower is delayed. The white iPhone 4 was delayed. Rumored headphones that haven’t been announced can’t be. Why should I as an end consumer care about Apple’s internal product timelines?

Because you'd want to buy those interesting new Sonos and suddenly stop because you read that Apple is producing its own branded headphones. And you read about development challenges and start to wonder what marvelous benefit Apple is going to offer, and next decide it to be worth the waiting

 

[AngerDanger]

Sorry no way will these have an Apple logo that large (if the have one at all).

No worries at all.

 

[slide_to_unlock]

All yours for $1000

Due to lower sales than expected, we are giving discount. New price $999.99. Save a penny because it cost more than a penny to make a single penny.

 

[cableguy84]

All yours for $1000

 

[citysnaps]

Nah! I don't take salt with my Apple, kills the taste. Like fast food.



Have you seen the other brands?

Brand loyalty to Apple doesn't mean I can't bitch about the recent turn for the worse in their products, customer service and management (outright lies), Apple Care price and deductible, and overall approach.

Ok... But I sense a lot of anger. If you need to stay that way, for whatever reason, that's cool. Your life, your angst.

If it were me carrying that amount of unhappiness and anger, I would have switched loooong ago. I certainly wouldn't open my wallet and give a company my hard-earned currency to a company that is so awful and lies. I'm guessing you stay with Apple because being perpetually angry and unhappy with the company provides some kind of comfort and power that would be otherwise lacking.

The good news (for me) is I'm stoked with all of my Apple products, customer service, management, and the way Apple carries itself. That's what KEEPS me in the Apple camp.

Good luck!

 

[Solomani]

I'm afraid to find out what "High end" does mean for Apple these days

If you have to wonder HOW MUCH, that means you can't afford it.

 

[PJL500]

'Wonder whose noise cancellation tech Apple is stealing? That will become known as the lawsuit(s) emerge.

 

[Princejb134]

Apple branded? So, why did Apple buy Beats? This makes no sense.

they're competing against themselves lol

 

[Solomani]

Beats are ok headphones. They are good, but not great. I do like their easy integration and easy functionality (and that they pair with and control iTunes directly). The simple and clean aesthetics are also nice. But the typical Beats headphone has too much bass emphasis. Which is good only if you listen to a lot of teenager music or tons of rap/hip-hop crap. They need to make it somewhat more balanced. Less emphasis on the bass (which is RASPY at higher volumes), and to put more balance in the direction of vocal music, classical, jazz, etc.

I say this as having received a FREE Beats Solo 3 headphone from Apple…. it was a promo freebie when I bought my iMac last year.

Again, they're not bad headphones. But there is definitely room for improvement.

 

[iRutherford]

Apple branded? So, why did Apple buy Beats? This makes no sense.

Beats is now their mass market brand with prices ranging from entry-level to high-end. Realistically, they only bought the brand for its music streaming service and online radio shows. At the time, Beats commanded "fashion status" as it was endorsed by countless public figures. Other than that, it's never really been a good fit for Apple. If you're using Apple Music and wonder why it's infested by rap music (even if your history and preferences lean on a different genre), you have Beats executives like Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre and Ebro Darden to thank for.

They should have purchased Nokia's MixRadio instead. It was great and had a huge library of songs, but didn't take off because of the many shakeups leading to them being acquired by Microsoft. Apple could have saved so much money without the Beats baggage.

 

[Jaro65]

Dammit. Just picked up the Sony 1000XM3's for $299 on a MassGenie deal.

Would gladly pay $100 more for Apple branded ones that have equal or better audio & noise canceling + W1 wireless chip technology. By far the worse part of the 1000XM3 experience is connecting via bluetooth and its limitation of only connecting to one device at a time. You have to unpair and repair to switch to another device. To go between my Macbook & iPhone with the 1000XM3 is a pure pain in the ass.

I'm surprised by that. This is such a well-reviewed set. I've been looking for an upgrade from my QC35 and considered XM3, but what you describe doesn't sound good. The QC35 makes it painless to go between my iPhone and MBP.

 

[DocMultimedia]

Hopefully it starts at $999 for one ear and $19999 for the two ear model

 

[KPandian1]

Ok... But I sense a lot of anger. If you need to stay that way, for whatever reason, that's cool. Your life, your angst.
Good luck!

Oh, this how to I vent my displeasure with Apple - not angry enough to quit them.

Last Windows purchase - 7 years ago. Last Apple purchase 5-6 months back. Hoping to buy today! ~$9000 this decade alone.

Just had time to list almost all the way Apple has changed and screwed the brand and customers over in the last 5 years.

Plus, being an investor who done well, I do see bad things in their future; repairing a computer should not cost this much, especially in volume. No matter the revenue from AC and AC+, this hurts the final numbers.

I still have an iMac from 2001/2 - works well, using it now for fun. Only regret there, USB 1.

 

[jarman92]

Wait until you see the price of the Product(RED) version.

The RED version is always the same price as the non-RED...

 

[Blaze4G]

Why make a pair of Apple branded headphones, isn't that why they bought beats? Surely that's the channel through which they should be designing and selling this sort of product, otherwise what was the point of spending $3BN for a headphone brand?

Because branding sells. Apple knows if they slap their name and logo on it they can sell it for $449 and it will fly off the shelves. Then you have Apple fans here that will say this is not true.

Consumers are brand loyal and majority make purchases because of branding. Take any high end Android phone on the market, slap the Apple logo on it and watch sales go 10x.

 

[jarman92]

Get your pair for $399.
When is Tim Crook leaving?
[doublepost=1548345465][/doublepost]

Beats will be the budget ones at $299

$399 would be an entirely reasonable and competitive price for a pair of ANC over-ear headphones.

 

[ctg7w6]

I'm afraid to find out what "High end" does mean for Apple these days

That's exactly what I was thinking. If AirPods are already $160, presumably version 2 will get a price increase. So how much will these be, when Beats headphones are already pretty expensive?

 

[Solomani]

Oh, this how to I vent my displeasure with Apple - not angry enough to quit them.

Last Windows purchase - 7 years ago. Last Apple purchase 5-6 months back. Hoping to buy today! ~$9000 this decade alone.

Just had time to list almost all the way Apple has changed and screwed the brand and customers over in the last 5 years.

Plus, being an investor who done well, I do see bad things in their future; repairing a computer should not cost this much, especially in volume. No matter the revenue from AC and AC+, this hurts the final numbers.

I still have an iMac from 2001/2 - works well, using it now for fun. Only regret there, USB 1.

Displeasure is better served if you guys actually sent complaints directly to Apple.com

I use their Feedback website all the time. Bugs. Glitches. Or whenever they remove old features which I liked, etc. Or when they change things for the worse.

https://www.apple.com/feedback/

 

[827538]

Something I'm actually excited to see from Apple.

I love my AirPods so these should be great. Hope to see ANC and volume control + USB-C.

 

[9052042]

Ever since Apple acquired beats, EVERYTHING music related has been screwed up. Does it keep beats? Does it incorporate it into iTunes? Do we have a radio streaming service called Beats? Do we keep selling Apple AirPods next to Beats? Do we put the Wireless chip into Beats?

Seriously Apple has no idea what it's doing. It should have integrated it into the Apple brand and R.I.P Beats, move on, and keep things consistent. Because fragmentation is destroying Apple. Seriously how many Laptop models do we need now that serve the same purpose?

It's not an Apple fault, as it is a Tim Cook fault. Apple got a great manager now, not a great leader. Tim Cook's playbook for Beats will look like this:
1) Continue selling Beats as it already has the brand name
2) Release one Apple branded music device at a time and gauge user acceptance
3) Continue doing 2) until margins and product acceptance is stronger on their Apple branded devices
4) Phase out beats and let it die "naturally"

This is in contrast to making a hard decision of killing Beats on Acquisition and selling Apple products, risking ruining an already successful brand, in an attempt do streamline products and avoid confusion.

Whats not clear about that?

 

[macduke]

Pssst, @Joe Rossignol, I got you covered, mate.

View attachment 817669

Hah I was going to do this but had to run to a meeting. I figured when checked later you would have it done.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I'm surprised by that. This is such a well-reviewed set. I've been looking for an upgrade from my QC35 and considered XM3, but what you describe doesn't sound good. The QC35 makes it painless to go between my iPhone and MBP.

I'd stick with the QC35. The XM3 users have reported issues with cold weather affecting the battery life drastically. Since you're in Seattle according to your profile, you may find yourself in cold areas.

Also, when you have a choice, why not stick with the American company?

 

[sofila]

If you have to wonder HOW MUCH, that means you can't afford it.

No, I really mean "high end". Could be fresh and useful as AirPods or an unreasonably high priced not satisfactory item with no reason to be excited for. But maybe it's only me getting old.

 

[ph001bi]

If they get into the branded over-ear headphones business I expect they'll be competing with Bose. If priced similarly then they might be onto something.
Hopefully they'll do a soundbar next.