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If the HomePod’s and AirPods’ sound quality are anything to go by, these headphones will sound like crap. But at least you’ll be a cool hipster with the latest fashion and signal to everyone you make way more money than you should.
 
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Apple branded? So, why did Apple buy Beats? This makes no sense.

I think for this very reason. I think the bought beats with the express purpose of creating apple branded headphones. I think you'll see the beats brand phased out over the next few years.
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If the HomePod’s and AirPods’ sound quality are anything to go by, these headphones will sound like crap. But at least you’ll be a cool hipster with the latest fashion and signal to everyone you make way more money than you should.

I think my homepod sounds great! It definitely beats all three bose portable speakers I have.
 
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?
Nobody says you should. It’s just a point of interest on a rumor site that they had their own expectations for a timeline and didn’t make it. And worse, this info got leaked externally to become a talking point in the media where consumers can react to it as they/we please or ignore it as they/we please.
 
Wow. There is so much competition for on-ear and over-the-ear headphones these days.

These would have to be really, really good to beat my B&W PX and/or M&D MW60BT headphones for sound quality. Not to mention my hard wired B&W P9's.

For me I cannot sacrifice sound quality for what most likely to be easier BT connections from Apple headphones to Apple devices.

I haven't looked at Beats lately, but I was never impressed with the earlier ones. Too much bass. To each his own I guess.
 
If the HomePod’s and AirPods’ sound quality are anything to go by, these headphones will sound like crap. But at least you’ll be a cool hipster with the latest fashion and signal to everyone you make way more money than you should.

You're talking about the HomePod that has received lots of praise for its acoustic performance?

AirPods sound pretty great for what they are, non-sealing earbuds. Sound quality isn't the main concern there though.

I for one can't wait to see what Apple's audio engineering team's take on innovative high-end over-ear headphones will be.
 
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.

Never mind. I was going to be snarky about the price of an Apple Sound Bar. But I've stopped myself.
 
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If the HomePod’s and AirPods’ sound quality are anything to go by, these headphones will sound like crap. But at least you’ll be a cool hipster with the latest fashion and signal to everyone you make way more money than you should.

I have a bunch of headphones that I don’t use anymore because the Airpods simply won out on convenience and comfort. You are right in that Airpods don’t sound all that great, but they also made me realise just how much I was giving up for that sound quality, and made me reevaluate my priorities with regards to what I value in a pair of headphones.

For me, the best sounding headphones are moot if they are so uncomfortable that I can’t / won’t wear them for extended periods of time. If the “headpods” can recreate the Airpods experience for home use, I am sold.
 
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Rubicone. It is still an italian river, very short indeed, but the right name is (first letter capital) Rubicone.

I was about to the "I've heard it both ways" like in "Psych", then remembered that I've never seen the 'e' at the end of the word. Just Rubicon. Hail.
 
Recently bought H9i's in attempt to replace my H7s and very disappointed with the boomy base on the H9i's instead of the tight solid ones on the H7s. Hope Apple can show us how it's done and give me a worthy upgrade over my H7s. Will definitely wait for this.
 
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I'm afraid to find out what "High end" does mean for Apple these days

It means that Apple will define what you like and you better like it or go home.

I'll bet no open back headphones, which are less aggravating during extended listening times in low noise environments.

I'll bet no noise canceling headphones for noisy environments.

I'll bet more of the base heavy thumpers that Beats are known for.

I'll bet they only come in white, which will get nasty dirty in no time.

I'll bet that if they can be charged the charging plug will be inside the ear pad, so they cannot be charged while wearing (AKA the Magic Mouse Ive design).

I'll bet if they are chargeable the battery will only last about 4 or 5 hours (not quite long enough to fly DC to LA, let alone overseas.). But of course, they will not be for flying because there will not be any noise canceling.

I'll bet they will be designed to be a fashion statement that should be thrown away and replaced every 18 months.
 
Couldn't care less. A brand selling stolen overpriced tech and designs, that don't sound good anyway.
 
Take Beats, slap a Apple logo on it, and sell as new product.
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So ready for these.

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Apple bought Beats to help build Apple Music.

Beats hardware products will stick around for a "lower-end" market and geared towards a pop/hiphop lifestyle audience, profiting from Apple tech (like W1 chip).

Apple has it's own audio engineering team which is doing an insanely great job.
Even Apple-owned, Beats remains a separate company.

Wait what? Homepod sound quality isn't even up there compared to competitors. Airpods... is just... lol. I do give them props for macbooks and ipads. Apple lead the industry with portable music with the ipods, but sound quality is not top tier for the money you pay.
 
I’ll assume they’ll ignore higher quality Bluetooth codecs like LDAC once again.

It’s getting beyond a joke now.
 
The problem is they’re not meeting even internal target dates and that fact is getting out to the press. Someone at Apple needs to address some part of that issue.

When you don't meet an "external" target date is because you didn't meet your "internal" target date. Explain me why one can happen without the other, if you think differently. If you think you will release a product in July, because you believe development will be complete in January, and you need 6 months to go to market, if you don't release in July it's because you missed the "internal" January deadline. About "the press" a few fanatics follows this news and they aren't even news but rumours, did you see this news on the NY Times or TV channels? I don't think so.

Again, I think nobody here ever worked for a big tech company (I did and currently do), this is really par for the course in technology, and when a tech company is big (with big I mean 20.000+ employers at least) the time-scales becomes long for a whole host of reasons. When Apple will be 4 months late for the release of an iPhone then they will have the problem you are talking about. That's their business critical product they freeze development a year in advance to advance because they can't afford delays, and they don't have delays. The wireless charging pad, these headphones, are accessories and tertiary products (they won't even make as much money and profits than Macs, let alone Watches or iPhones) and nobody is expecting them because they don't exist yet, so they are rightly developed on a "we release them when they are ready" bases.
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Take Beats, slap a Apple logo on it, and sell as new product.
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Wait what? Homepod sound quality isn't even up there compared to competitors. Airpods... is just... lol. I do give them props for macbooks and ipads. Apple lead the industry with portable music with the ipods, but sound quality is not top tier for the money you pay.

According to who? I didn't read one review that didn't say the sound quality of HomePod was amazing. But I am sure you know better and can enlighten us all.
 
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According to who? I didn't read one review that didn't say the sound quality of HomePod was amazing. But I am sure you know better and can enlighten us all.

Just watch multiple youtube videos with comparisons to other home speakers and listen with GOOD headphones, not airpods to tell the difference. Apple's selling point was Siri functionality but we all know how trash siri is.
 
Just watch multiple youtube videos with comparisons to other home speakers and listen with GOOD headphones, not airpods to tell the difference. Apple's selling point was Siri functionality but we all know how trash siri is.

You mean don’t compare them to Bose or Sonos.
 
If the HomePod’s and AirPods’ sound quality are anything to go by, these headphones will sound like crap. But at least you’ll be a cool hipster with the latest fashion and signal to everyone you make way more money than you should.

HomePod sounded pretty good to me, at least in the store. Airpods didn’t work for me at all (aside from the fact that they constantly fall out of my ears and don’t fit at all, they don’t sound that great.)
 
Just watch multiple youtube videos with comparisons to other home speakers and listen with GOOD headphones, not airpods to tell the difference. Apple's selling point was Siri functionality but we all know how trash siri is.

Every review I read praised its sound quality, even audiophile forums. The main criticism was the price (and really the price). People loved it, just not enough to shell out $350 for it.
 
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