I'd like to see more traditionally shaped ear buds that go into the ear canal, the current design doesn't fit in my ear properly and sound leaks.
Just my ears, I guess.
Just my ears, I guess.
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Gurman: Higher-End AirPods to Launch in 2019, New HomePod and Over-Ear Headphones Also Likely Next Year
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Lol. Glad to see you have a sense of humor. Not many see my comments are mostly meant to be sarcastic and/or funny. To be fair if it wasn't for Android you iOS guys would still be in the stone ages
Yeah, because as a consumer why would I want more choices? Why does it bother people when a near trillion dollar company has a lot of SKUs? I dont understand that complaint, at all.
Good for them to finally start working on over-ear headphones. Too late for me as I bought the Sennheiser HD1 and I'm happy with them, but good to see that they care.
Now, the Mac lineup, that's another story.
Now, the Mac lineup, that's another story.
No, not if the new AirPods were the same price as they are now. But yes if Apple decided to increase the price. I miss the days when new hardware/features were added to products without increasing the price. iPhone price didn’t increase when retina and Touch ID were added. Now it seems Apple is obsessed with complicating product lines with all these different price points and finding a way to extract more money out of customers.
Would be nice if they had a reasonable program for battery replacement. I love the current ones, but using them daily for a lot of work calls they’re down to about an hour for phone calls. So basically I need to buy new ones or place close to the same amount for replacement. Kind of ridiculous when comparing it to a wired solution.
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Yea, but once battery life degrades the prices they’ve listed for battery replacement effectively becomes buying a new pair. So in essence, yes they are forcing you too.
The more money and people you throw at a problem, the more it grinds everything to a halt. Businesses grow and become slower and slower, run by committees and those suckling off the corporate teat. They eventually get replaced by smaller, more nimble companies that can innovate quickly. So the cycle repeats.
PS: This doesn't apply to government. It just grows and becomes more dysfunctional as the centuries go by.
PS: This doesn't apply to government. It just grows and becomes more dysfunctional as the centuries go by.
You'll be able to tell if someone is using high end AirPods by the big red dot they'll put on them.
There are way too many reasons to explain. Apple had traditionally done well as their products were very simple to understand because they didn’t offer too many choices. I was introduced to Apple with the 4th generation iPod. The simplicity of the device and in fact iTunes made me choose it over any other music device at that time.
1. Too many choices confuses consumers rather than provide many advantages. My opinion.
2. Apple has to manage to create iOS or MacOS for various device choices leading to more bugs.
3. Same thing for developers when they have to create apps for too many devices.
4. #2 and #3 degrades user experience. This used to be Apple’s prime objective.
There are other things like MacBook Pro and iPhone released in the same year cannot be connected to each other with the cable provided. These are small small things leading to more choice for the consumer but overall reduces the simplicity that I have always associated with Apple. My wife loves the iPhone because it’s really simple and intuitive to use but iPhone X is not as easy to understand. Control center and notifications work differently which I don’t think is intuitive. Like I said there are way too many reasons but it depends on what you are looking for as a consumer. YMMV.
I bought a Google Home during Black Friday last year as well as stereo pair HomePods a few weeks ago. When it comes to home automation, I 100% agree, HomePod kills the competition. When it comes to sound, Apple is clearly at the top. However when it comes to AI, Siri is way out of her league. The amount of times I've had to repeat myself is beyond annoying, whereas Google Home rarely misses my inquiry. Google Home also seems to have a better grasp of the music I like and its auto playlists has never failed. Apple Music on the other hand needs work and refinement.
The problem with HomePod is that it is so locked down to Apple's ecosystem, which in and of itself isn't a big deal. However when AI/virtual assistance is at the core of the device, they need to step it up and ensure Siri is up to the task. So far, Siri is the frustrating point of HomePod.
I know this is a long shot but I really wish Apple would make a pair of bone conduction, open ear headphones. I like to listen to music while riding my bike but for safety reasons (I have to be able to hear traffic) I can't plug or cover my ears with either in ear or over ear headphones. That only leaves bone conduction headphones. I use a pair of LG open ear headphones but they don't give me convenient access to Siri to verbally control my music library.
Since Apple is so into fitness, I would really like for them to make a pair of open ear headphones with Siri integration like the Air Pods have.
Since Apple is so into fitness, I would really like for them to make a pair of open ear headphones with Siri integration like the Air Pods have.
Everyone is assuming the HomePod will be cheaper. It is much more likely that they will continue the current model at the same price as the base model and then sell a 'Pro' HomePod at a higher price.
In listening to a LP, there was that annoying skip. With these AirPods, every now and then the skip makes me wonder if it was in the original, but it's not there when I replay that same section, so it must be in the Bluetooth connectivity.
The sound can be improved so that it's not so tinny.
And to cut out completely when my hands cup my ears to eliminate surrounding noise is not nice.
The sound can be improved so that it's not so tinny.
And to cut out completely when my hands cup my ears to eliminate surrounding noise is not nice.
If Apple releases AirPods that have noise cancelling even half as good as the Bose QC20 earbuds did, with soft silicone tips, I would buy them for almost any price.
I love the AirPods, but they are nearly useless on a train or airplane. Also, the hard plastic makes my ears sore after about 30-45 minutes of listening.
I love the AirPods, but they are nearly useless on a train or airplane. Also, the hard plastic makes my ears sore after about 30-45 minutes of listening.
As much as I am excited about the release the high end AirPods, the first generation is still working great for any of my purposes, including at the gym. Rain and perspiration never give any problem to all five of my AirPods bought on the day they were released. Unless one or more of my AirPods fails, I will skip any future releases. AirPods is the best audio invention Apple ever made and it is the bests one in the market.
Apple's audio device strategy has been highlighted today in a new report by Bloomberg, which looked forward to 2019 and the launch of the "higher-end" third-generation AirPods, next HomePod, and previously rumored over-ear headphones from Apple.
For the AirPods, next year's model is believed to be water resistant "to protect against rain and perspiration," which Bloomberg previously reported in February. In the new report, Mark Gurman and Debby Wu add that Apple is also working to introduce noise cancellation and increase the range that the AirPods can work away from iPhone or iPad, citing people familiar with Apple's plans.
Additionally, the third-generation AirPods -- coming after this fall's expected second-generation update with "Hey Siri" support -- are expected to cost "more than the existing $159 pair." This is believed to cause Apple to "segment" the AirPods line like it does with iPhones, with a lower-cost model and a higher-cost model that has more features. One of these advanced features could also be a biometric sensor "like a heart-rate monitor."
Continuing its audio device push, Apple is eyeing an early 2019 debut for its over-ear headphones, after facing "development challenges" during its original late 2018 launch schedule. Bloomberg described the device as a "higher-end alternative to the company's Beats line," but otherwise didn't give any new details on features that could be coming to the headphones.
Lastly, the report quickly mentions that the second version of the HomePod is set to debut "as early as next year." Apple may also switch production on the smart speaker away from Inventec for the new model, in an overall shakeup of Apple's supply chain in regards to its audio devices. Sources said the company is looking to expand its partnership with Foxconn, which mainly helps manufacture the iPhone, and simultaneously lessen its reliance on Inventec, which helped supply AirPods and HomePod.
While updates to AirPods and HomePod have been expected, rumors first appeared for Apple's "own-branded" over-ear headphones back in February from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The audio accessory is expected to be "as convenient as AirPods" but with superior sound quality, active noise cancellation technology, and a price tag aimed at the high-end market.
Article Link: Gurman: Higher-End AirPods to Launch in 2019, New HomePod and Over-Ear Headphones Also Likely Next Year
Ahh yes... I had a pair of DT990s ...very nice mid band for their price point and very comfortable.
But that was in the old days in the 90s with major scale audio rigs. It is amazing how technology with small scale drivers has advanced over the years. Hope Apple attain Stax like electrostat sound with their higher price point Airpods.
Battery life is hardly an issue. My air pods Still last as long as they did on launch
It's almost like they continuously update their products over time to make them better... HMMM.
I wonder what they're improving on the HomePod, no features are mentioned. I'll probably get a second one to pair them up. I love the sound even from one.