Ming-Chi Kuo Expects Upgraded AirPods to Launch in Mid to Late 2018

[riverfreak]

A news post linking Ming-Chi Kuo and AirPods!

Lemme guess.

15% of responses: Ming-Chi is an idiot. Analysts are always wrong and know nothing.

15% of responses: Ming-Chi has an amazing track record.

10% of responses: people look stupid wearing AirPods.

10% of responses: if you are worried about what other people think, you have too much time on your hands and/or wired headphones look stupid.

25% of responses: I love my AirPods!

5% of responses: I thought Tim Cook was a supply chain genius.

15% of responses: I wish AirPods came in Black/Space Gray/Rose Gold

5% of responses: a deep and technical discussion of headphones between audiophiles, often comparing AirPods to wired studio headphones.

—

Don’t take it too seriously just having a little fun

 

[MedRed]

AirPods need much better sound quality before I'd consider them.

 

[bosatsu]

"Noise cancelling" doesn't cancel all noise- just repetitive noise (like the steady noise of a jet engine). Human voices are not canceled.

Update: since posting this, I've had enough replies to cast this particular confidence in doubt. So, in my own experience with Bose QC headphones, noise cancelling does not cancel out human voices. Yes, everything is quieter with ears covered, but my own ears can still hear people talking (muffled, not as clear as uncovered ears) even with the noise cancel circuit is on and basically "removing" something like the drone of an airplane engine. Apparently others have experiences where noise canceling actually cancels up to all noise. That's not my own experience with NC, nor have I ever read that in any reviews for any NC headphone devices.

I agree with you, I've got a Bose Quiet Confort and they do not cancel out human voices (especially female ones), it's well explained in any of their pages why is that.
If someone has headphones that block out human voices PLEASE let me know!

I'd buy them if they improve the quality sound and they offer them in different colors.

 

[8CoreWhore]

pretty sure the airpods success are exceeding everyones expectations. apple must be thrilled.

i wish they would release a "sport" version.

In YT video, someone puts it in a fish tank without issue so sweat and rain, you are OK. As for them coming out - I can't make them fall out, and I tried a lot. Most people will have the same experience but some say they don't fit them well enough. Seriously, I love these things so much that if the didn't stay in I'd modify them somehow to make them stick. Also, Amazon sells leashes for them if you want it.

 

[himanshumodi]

It's a hard wish-list to put for a product that ticks all the check boxes for me. With the current form factor - which I hope they do not change ever - it would be hard to incorporate more gestures I imagine. Touch gestures would require a far more sensitive body which would become prone to physical damage, so even though they would be useful, I don't really them if physical durability is the cost. Better battery life, faster connectivity, would be natural evolution that I would expect. I don't want more colors, but a mat finish would be better. I find them too slick right now.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Bluetooth 5.0 please to along with my iPhone X

And let's not forget adding Bluetooth 5.0 to the Apple Watch while we're at it. Since the AirPods are very small and battery life for use is a priority, I'd rather the larger devices with bigger batteries have BT 5 to extend the range over audio quality. I'd say BT 4.2 vs 5 for audio quality is negligible for most users - and is their audio library ready for such quality?

Why was noise-canceling not included in the first-generation? It has all the hardware for it.

sure it does. Not unless Apple included some sort of Sound Mapping in the W1 chip? ANC wasn't included due to power consumption. For example Studio3 gives you 25hrs with ANC, 40hrs without.

 

[GSDLVR123]

Sub $200 products from Apple hard to get (try finding a 64GB TV 4K somewhere too) at Christmas time. These "little" gift (stocking stuffers?) being in short-to-no supply seems odd for a company with mastery of supply chains. Still ready to pounce on another 64GB TV 4K if one (new) could be found somewhere.

No KIDDING - I am going out shopping this evening - was planning on getting these for my 3 kids and wife for stocking stuffers...I had no idea they were sold out! LOL - I am an old guy who has little imagination - my wife asked me to pick up the stocking stuff - she bought the other stuff...I should have ordered them on line I know, but it is hard to believe a company as large as Apple didn't have adequate supply - the turns on these things have to be high enough they could have stocked up!

 

[deg0ey]

No KIDDING - I am going out shopping this evening - was planning on getting these for my 3 kids and wife for stocking stuffers...I had no idea they were sold out! LOL - I am an old guy who has little imagination - my wife asked me to pick up the stocking stuff - she bought the other stuff...I should have ordered them on line I know, but it is hard to believe a company as large as Apple didn't have adequate supply - the turns on these things have to be high enough they could have stocked up!

They don't have any in stock for order online, but some Apple Stores do still have them. I just put my zip code in the store locator on the product page and the 11 closest stores are showing "Available Feb 5" but the 12th closest store (about 30 miles away) has them available today. Might be worth a try if you don't mind going out for a drive this evening...

 

[GSDLVR123]

They don't have any in stock for order online, but some Apple Stores do still have them. I just put my zip code in the store locator on the product page and the 11 closest stores are showing "Available Feb 5" but the 12th closest store (about 30 miles away) has them available today. Might be worth a try if you don't mind going out for a drive this evening...

Thanks! Unfortunately we live on a horse farm and the nearest Apple Store is 2 hours away! I had checked the Best Buy - as we have one about 45 min away (none)! This is obviously my fault for waiting till the last minute - I just assumed these would be available all the time...I am NOT a shopper so guess what - going to stick cash in the stocking...maybe some candy - just no idea - LOL. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to give suggestions and help me - very kind!!!!

 

[Compote]

Apple will release an upgraded version of AirPods in the second half of 2018, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

An excerpt from Kuo's latest research note, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors:Kuo said one internal change on the second-generation AirPods will include a "smaller quartz component," but he didn't provide any further details about new outward-facing features or improvements to expect.

Kuo said the new AirPods will continue to be assembled by Taiwanese manufacturer Inventec, with individual components supplied by fellow Taiwanese companies such as Unitech, Compeq, TXC, and HLJ.

Apple will also be releasing a new inductive AirPods charging case that will enable the wireless earphones to be charged with its new AirPower charging mat, which it said launches at some point in 2018.

Apple teased the AirPower mat at its iPhone X event back in September. It will be able to charge the Apple Watch Series 3, an iPhone X or iPhone 8 model, and AirPods inside the new charging case simultaneously.

As for the current AirPods, Kuo said Apple's suppliers are unable to make them quick enough to fully satisfy what he believes is robust holiday season demand, which likely explains why AirPods are sold out until January.

Kuo, who keeps a close eye on Apple's supply chain in Asia, said Apple has recruited Luxshare to help make AirPods, but RF printed-circuit boards for AirPods batteries are proving to be a key production bottleneck.

Kuo also reiterated his estimate that AirPods shipments will double in 2018 to 26-28 million units on a year-over-year basis, suggesting Apple will have sold around 13-14 million AirPods worldwide by the end of this year.

Article Link: Ming-Chi Kuo Expects Upgraded AirPods to Launch in Mid to Late 2018

Sam’s a rich Mofo

 

[ManicMarc]

I’d love to see AirPods with more ambient features, like reading notifications when they come in etc.
Also being able to load music directly onto them would be pretty cool too.
Having ‘find my AirPods’ work when the case is closed would be useful too.

 

[joonyaboy]

Dang I was thinking the new wireless charging case was already shipping. I sold my used pair on eBay for $170.

I miss when Apple would release products weeks after announcement.

 

[mtneer]

How about a Beats X 2 in 2018?? Anything Ming has to say about that? She always has predictions for new Apple products...

 

[tipoo]

Not gonna lie. When i got mine i was first disappointed that they do not automatically play from whatever iDevice i hit play on. Even my Sony ones did that (up to 3 devices i think). However i used to live with it.

I perhaps havn't been paying much attention to them lately, but it surprised me to see this fact a few times lately. I thought automatic switching was one of the key points of the W1 all this time.

W2, maybe...