If they used the same tech as everyone else, they'd end up with the same product (technologically). What's the use in that?
Anyway, I doubt they would *stop* supporting Bluetooth in their phones. There would be no splintering, just another choice.
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Apple's 'AirPods' to Use Custom Bluetooth Chip, Target Higher End Than Beats Brand
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If they used the same tech as everyone else, they'd end up with the same product (technologically). What's the use in that?
Anyway, I doubt they would *stop* supporting Bluetooth in their phones. There would be no splintering, just another choice.
Be sure to tell Bragi your thoughts on their completely inappropriate and irresponsible advertising for the new buds.
completely wireless earbuds make sense, especially in conjunction with an apple watch. If they price it premium though they can get lost, I'll just get a pair of these instead.http://www.bragi.com/theheadphone/ for £99
I'm really surprised in the amount of customers who think Apple is going to include these in the box. Apple will not include these in the box, unless it was a specific package with the iPhone 7. Likely for sale separately in the Apple Store.
Not sure what propriety earbuds you are talking about. The ones in this article are Bluetooth, so they'll work with your iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and even iMacs and Mac Pros.
As for easing us into Bluetooth, the technology has been around for years -- how much easing in do you need? The easing in started last year, when Apple Watch came out with the ability to pair to Bluetooth headphones. I got a Bluetoth headphone to work with my Apple Watch, which I can now also use with iPhone 7. See, easing in!
I think they were complaining about the old NON-Apple Bluetooth, not whatever's about to come—and I share their rage
The horrible thing about the AirPods is that they'll probably have a soldered-on battery and be incredibly expensive. Aside from the bother of having yet another device to keep charged up, I'm not going to pony up big $$$ every two years for new headphones/earbuds.
That's subjective really. There are headphones that cost thousands but that's a really niche market. And you wouldn't use them to their full potential using an iPhone with Apple Music. You'd want lossless files and an external DAC/amp.
If we're talking about playing lossy files from an iPhone, I'd say high-end headphones are around the $300 mark.
Beats already has large headphones in that category with the Beats Studio Wireless and Beats Pro. But no compact headphones / IEMs.
It's also possible that Apple headphones will somewhat overlap Beats headphones in pricing, but still target a different audience, e.g.:
- Beats: Bass-heavy EQ, flashy design with prominent logo, marketing focused on celebrity endorsement / product placement, targets young people who listent to pop / hip-hop.
- Apple: Flat EQ, minimal design, traditional Apple marketing, targets all age groups and musical styles
Where's the sense in Apple launching these high end Airpods in anything other than the Beats brand? Surely by not calling them Beats they're saying that they don't have faith in their own company?
These aren't the only Bluetooth earbuds on the market though.
Every company makes what they believe is a good experience.
We the consumer choose which one is good for us and buy that one.
Parallel ports used to be universal too, as was tetraethyl lead in petrol, and as were horse drawn carriages...I think you get the picture.
The questions is whether this will be an additional proprietary radio or not. I don't see others not workig with this. I see exclusive peripherals though. Jury is out in howbthat effects me on the future, if at all.
Yes, a universal standard that would be cheaper and easier for third party manufacturer's to utilize, and if past trends hold, will stick around for at least a decade if not longer given past trends. But who needs that nonsense, right?
They're not forcing this purchase at all. If you don't like these there's a good Beats option that likely cost less than these will and should be better for running. If you don't like Beats then there are dozens of other companies making bluetooth ear buds. Or you can just use the lightning ear buds Apple will include with the iPhone. These are so far from being a forced product. It sounds like Apple is actually treating them as a pretty niche product if they're going to price them in the upper range of headphones. Most people don't spend $300+ on that sort of thing.
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How would we even charge those things? Do I need 2 power outlets? Or charge each ear piece separately?
Apple won't deviate. Their chip wil still support existing BT so it will work with your existing headphones or vehicles.
What they'll do (if this rumor is correct) is add another custom profile on top of existing ones such that if the phone detects such headphones it will switch to the new profile (which could use less power, have no lag and better quality).
Not at the expense of interoperability and ease of connecting. At a certain point we start to get diminishing returns, like going from 4K to hypothetical 6K in a home theater setup. Sure, it's "better", but probably not worth it.
A dongle? I have no idea what you are talking about. Also, it's not like you will be required to use these.
Will they? If Apple is making a proprietary chip I don't see why they couldn't restrict what links to the buds. I don't know that it would make business sense to do that but I don't know that there is any strict requirement to have these be compatible with everything else.
I do think people are jumping to worst case scenarios though. These will probably work with other devices and just be more efficient with the hardware that supports the new radios.
There are plenty of things that are better than universal. Universal doesn't mean better. AA Batteries are universal, but my iPhones custom battery is much better.
What makes you think the headphones/earbuds would have to be replaced every two years?