New Beats Products to Debut Alongside iPhone 7 on September 7

[Soccertess]

Only reason I bought wireless beats in the first place was.... CLEARANCE! Otherwise I wouldn't have bothered, they are vastly over priced for the quality of sound they put out.

It will be interesting to see if Beat's tech changes. I would hope that Apple engineers would work with beat engineers to give beats/iphone some extra integration and improve audio quality!

I don't know how realistic it is but as bluetooth 5 is just around the corner, I wouldn't be surprised if Beat's new headphones and apple adopted blue tooth 5

Also, I still think that wireless charging is just around the corner. I still have faith that Apple has something hidden up it's sleeve and next week won't be a complete FLOP. But this is Tim's Apple, so who knows!

 

[TechRemarker]

You have to be joking.

This says Beats PR Team aka Apple PR "mistakenly" sent an email to a random unknown rumor site with unannounced product info saying this is something we are going to announce? Give me a break.

Completely made up which is why the rest of the article talks about general rumors rather than anything about this totally fake report.

 

[DotCom2]

Well I for one can't wait to see what they come up with.
I want a new pair of wireless to pair with the Apple TV gen 4.
TV sound all to my own! YASSSS!
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It will be interesting to see if Beat's tech changes. I would hope that Apple engineers would work with beat engineers to give beats/iphone some extra integration and improve audio quality!

I don't know how realistic it is but as bluetooth 5 is just around the corner, I wouldn't be surprised if Beat's new headphones and apple adopted blue tooth 5

Also, I still think that wireless charging is just around the corner. I still have faith that Apple has something hidden up it's sleeve and next week won't be a complete FLOP. But this is Tim's Apple, so who knows!

This, this and all this!

 

[TechRemarker]

This assumes that Apple is going to be content with just releasing a mirror copy of the Bragi dash earphones, without adding their own improvements and tweaks and refinements.

I am actually willing to bet on Apple coming up with their own wireless standard and implementing it in their own headphones. If you asked me to guess, it would allow for a low-powered form of AirPlay which would allow for better wireless sound quality over a greater range, without drawing too much power. It would pair with multiple Apple devices and allow you to seamlessly switch between all of them.

In short, it might allow Apple to circumvent many of the drawbacks and limitations of Bluetooth, but the drawback is that it might work only with Apple devices.

Trying to squeeze in an announcement just before the iPhone keynote just makes Bragi look desperate and panicked, and one can only wonder why.

This is what I like many have been suggesting for a while. Makes sense since is exactly what Sonos did and their solution works great. Beats has officially said they were working on a sonos competitor and where going to release it but Apple killed the product when they bought them. So Apple could release airplay 2 which would power new wireless headphones and wireless speakers which would complete with sonos and add make great sense in their lineup. They could even ad Mics to the speakers which would also then be a competitor to the Amazon echo.

Let's hope they do it.

 

[ipedro]

AirPlay? I assume you mean Bluetooth? Otherwise the battery will last like 1/4 of 1 song.

I'm going with the theory that Apple's solution to wireless earbuds is going to be a proprietary implementation of Bluetooth, AirPlay 2.0. AirPlay currently uses WiFi but there's no reason that it should continue to. Wireless audio has come a very long way since Apple invented AirTunes aka AirPlay. Bluetooth is a much better solution, particularly Bluetooth 5.0 which is on its way to being finalized. .

 

[Mr Staunton]

Tim: "Hey Dr Dre, what do you have planned for release this fall?", Dr Dre: "Hey Timbo, got some awesome hardware that will blow your socks off, brilliant colors to match the iPhone and all done using the 3.5mm jack.", Tim: "Yeah, about that jack..."

 

[danielwsmithee]

I'm going with the theory that Apple's solution to wireless earbuds is going to be a proprietary implementation of Bluetooth, AirPlay 2.0. AirPlay currently uses WiFi but there's no reason that it should continue to. Wireless audio has come a very long way since Apple invented AirTunes aka AirPlay. Bluetooth is a much better solution, particularly Bluetooth 5.0 which is on its way to being finalized. .

OK, that makes more sense just changing the underlying technology of the trademark. My guess is they'll just use standard Bluetooth.

 

[kyriostrife]

This was obvious as soon as the leaks of "no aux jack" were revealed. Not a surprise one bit. The studio line, for instance, has been updated since 2013 and prices were dropping considerably in recent months.

It's exactly why I sold my studio wireless. But luckily I sold them more for than I purchased them for.

This allows them to push lightning headphones. And just in time for the holiday season. Honestly, it doesn't matter if they aren't good, because people will still buy them.

They could very easily have the same prices as current beats but make a high priced model that "seems" high end, but really isn't audiophile worthy. However, there's no reason why they can't produce a decent all around bluetooth headset with ANC that people will enjoy. They have no reason to target audiophiles. But this set will probably cost more than the Bose QC35.

Prepare to see them everywhere at your gym, instagram, and more.

 

[CarlJ]

This is the biggest non-issue I've seen raised on these forums (second only to not being able to charge and listen at the same time). These are just idiotic attempts to push a pro 3.5mm jack agenda.

FWIW, I would not classify myself as "pro 3.5mm jack". I'm eager to see what Apple has come up with, they usually have things fairly well thought through (not always following the path that some people want, but they do usually have well-reasoned arguments for why they did things the way they did). But I am concerned about being able to charge and listen at the same time - that's not a non-issue; it may not affect you, but there are solid use cases it does mess with. I've played a lot of Ingress over the past few years, which involves a lot of walking around (it's not always clear whether I'm out walking to play Ingress, or playing Ingress as something to do while I walk - either way, the encouragement to go walking is not a bad thing). The game eats battery, and I'm generally either listening to the game, or audiobooks/podcasts, or both. I'll have some moderately good wired headphones (Etymotics with custom earmolds) plugged in and an external battery pack plugged into the Lightning jack at the same time - this arrangement isn't just "nice", it's kind of vital for this use case (I've also used this setup to listen to audiobooks on long walks that were started with my iPhone's battery already somewhat depleted after a long day). So, I'll take exception to your assertion that charging and listening at the same time is a non-issue; there are very good uses for it. I won't complain (much) if my existing headphones need an adapter, but I don't want to have to choose between listening and charging. As I said, I am quite eager to see what Apple has come up with as a solution.

 

[ipedro]

OK, that makes more sense just changing the underlying technology of the trademark. My guess is they'll just use standard Bluetooth.

Vanilla Bluetooth is unreliable because it is built for thousands of devices, not one in particular. The Apple Pencil is a recent example of a proprietary implementation of Bluetooth that is designed from the ground up to work only with the iPad Pro and specifically the iPad Pro. It works flawlessly every single time because it knows what to expect.

 

[Ankaa]

This assumes that Apple is going to be content with just releasing a mirror copy of the Bragi dash earphones, without adding their own improvements and tweaks and refinements.

Well, yes, because that's what basically all the rumors are pointing, too.

I am actually willing to bet on Apple coming up with their own wireless standard and implementing it in their own headphones. If you asked me to guess, it would allow for a low-powered form of AirPlay which would allow for better wireless sound quality over a greater range, without drawing too much power. It would pair with multiple Apple devices and allow you to seamlessly switch between all of them.

In short, it might allow Apple to circumvent many of the drawbacks and limitations of Bluetooth, but the drawback is that it might work only with Apple devices.

I do hope you're right. That's one of the reasons why I've been putting off buying the Dash, hoping Apple would come up with something even better (or at least the same in terms of functionality). After all, the AirPod rumors have been around for quite a while...

Trying to squeeze in an announcement just before the iPhone keynote just makes Bragi look desperate and panicked, and one can only wonder why.

People are indeed wondering about that. As I said, timing - and place, why announce in Cupertino if it's a company based in Germany - does seem veeeery odd. Also, the announcement for the announcement came just shortly AFTER Apple had sent out their invitations...

 

[Mac 128]

FWIW, I would not classify myself as "pro 3.5mm jack". I'm eager to see what Apple has come up with, they usually have things fairly well thought through (not always following the path that some people want, but they do usually have well-reasoned arguments for why they did things the way they did). But I am concerned about being able to charge and listen at the same time - that's not a non-issue; it may not affect you, but there are solid use cases it does mess with. I've played a lot of Ingress over the past few years, which involves a lot of walking around (it's not always clear whether I'm out walking to play Ingress, or playing Ingress as something to do while I walk - either way, the encouragement to go walking is not a bad thing). The game eats battery, and I'm generally either listening to the game, or audiobooks/podcasts, or both. I'll have some moderately good wired headphones (Etymotics with custom earmolds) plugged in and an external battery pack plugged into the Lightning jack at the same time - this arrangement isn't just "nice", it's kind of vital for this use case (I've also used this setup to listen to audiobooks on long walks that were started with my iPhone's battery already somewhat depleted after a long day). So, I'll take exception to your assertion that charging and listening at the same time is a non-issue; there are very good uses for it. I won't complain (much) if my existing headphones need an adapter, but I don't want to have to choose between listening and charging. As I said, I am quite eager to see what Apple has come up with as a solution.

No offense, but why is this so hard to understand? It has certainly occured to Apple that there might be a need to charge and listen at the same time. Apple has already built this ability into dongles they sell for the iPhone and iPad, in the form of a passthrough Lighnting port.

So while the issue is real, it's a non-issue in that Apple has already solved this problem in the past, is certainly aware of the problem now, and will have implemented some elegant solution by the time they release it.

The simplest concept would be to put a passthrough port right there in the Lightning plug on the charging cable included in the box, which the headphone plug slides right into, without adding any more size to the current cable. And there are numerous solutions from there, including if need be, adapters. Third parties will come up with options Apple doesn't.

That's why this is a non-issue. It's bizarre that people on these forums have been repeating this concern daily for the last year as if nobody ever thought about the potential problem before, let alone Apple.

My apologies if my response is curt, but seriously, this has gotten to be unbearable at this point. I can barely wait until Wednesday, so at least we can disagree on actual problems with Apples hardware, rather than all manner of imagined worse case scenarios which all use as the basis of their premise that Apple hasn't given a fairly obvious problem any thought whatsoever.

 

[CarlJ]

Beats.... bleh. What about the MacPro ? Or is it just DOA? I guess Apple only cares about Dr. Dre and his minions. Steve Jobs is spinning in his grave.

Why go out of your way to come into a thread that CLEARLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MACS to complain about the lack of Mac updates? Were the threads about Macs too full? Give it a rest, please?

 

[Abazigal]

Well, yes, because that's what basically all the rumors are pointing, too.

Even the much-maligned iPhone battery case by Apple had a few software tweaks of its own, which other companies like Mophie could not replicate because they lacked access to iOS. And Apple knows that if they want to be able to justify charging a premium for their products, they need to give their customers additional functionality over and above what the rest of the competition can provide.

Hence, I don't think Apple will simply stop there.

I do hope you're right. That's one of the reasons why I've been putting off buying the Dash, hoping Apple would come up with something even better (or at least the same in terms of functionality). After all, the AirPod rumors have been around for quite a while...

I actually just bought a pair of wired Sony headphones recently. I was impressed with the sound quality, they were comfortable to wear and the store was having a discount, and I just couldn't resist. Wearing glasses, it's just so hard to find a pair of comfortable headphones that don't squeeze the sides of your head tightly.

I have another year before my 6S+ contract expires, and to be honest, if my 6S+ continues to work well, I might very well just continue using it for as long as it lasts, so any removal of the headphone jack won't have a noticeable impact on me yet.

 

[CarlJ]

So while the issue is real, it's a non-issue in that Apple has already solved this problem in the past, is certainly aware of the problem now, and will have implemented some elegant solution by the time they release it.

It is an important issue, but likely one that they have already handled. I think we're down to arguing semantics, and likely on the same side on what Apple is likely to do. I too am really eager for this Apple Event - in some ways more so than for some previous ones (that held bigger surprises), simply to get these freaking questions answered. (Then there'll only be a month or so of additional whining to "look forward to" about the lack of Mac updates, before October's likely unveiling of new Macs.)

 

[uwbadger]

if Apple poured some legitimate research and development into either making Bluetooth audio better or lightning audio clearly superior to the analog headphone jack

There is no way to make lightning audio "better" than an analog headphone jack. Audio is analog, full stop. Any "improvements" they make with lightning audio (better DAC, amp, etc.) could be made without lightning audio.

 

[doelcm82]

I will agree that wireless is going to be the future. Just like internet: were we always going to use Ethernet and wired connections? Probably not, and I miss that some devices don't include Ethernet ports, but Wi-Fi is definitely the future of networking.

When I built my house in 2003, i ran two separate ethernet lines to every room (two separate networks). All the lines congregated in a single patch panel, carefully labeled. We were going to be state of the art.

The only thing missing was broadband service, which didn't reach to our remote location. When it finally arrived, it was DSL, and we were at the maximum distance from the phone company's equipment. Of course we put a wireless router in. The ethernet in the house has never been used.

 

[joueboy]

If Apple actually believes that wireless headphones is the future, then they should stop selling wired headphones altogether. Make it uniform the entire product line instead of selling a bluetooth for a premium price.

 

[scotttnz]

I hope they release beats in more colours to match my watch straps

 

[CrashX]

Lacking headphones, any iPhone I've ever owned has been completely worthless on extended conversations.

I'll be sticking with my current rMPB and my SE until the post-Jobs consortium can produce an exciting, innovative product.

Next is the iPhone 8 with no ports - the obelisk that shatters when the apes toss it into the air?

It's not about innovation anymore. It's about counting beans - and selling headphones and designer wristbands. And "rooting" all of my content into the Cloud, for residuals.

 

[doelcm82]

There is no way to make lightning audio "better" than an analog headphone jack. Audio is analog, full stop. Any "improvements" they make with lightning audio (better DAC, amp, etc.) could be made without lightning audio.

I guess they could add power to the 3.5mm jack to supply sufficient current to run active noise cancellation using the iOS device's battery. This would probably fry some headphones that weren't designed to handle the current, but at least it would still be analog, and the connector would look roughly the same.
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Next is the iPhone 8 with no ports

An iPhone with no ports is coming, I think, but I doubt it will be as soon as the iPhone 8.

 

[CarlJ]

I actually just bought a pair of wired Sony headphones recently. I was impressed with the sound quality, they were comfortable to wear and the store was having a discount, and I just couldn't resist. Wearing glasses, it's just so hard to find a pair of comfortable headphones that don't squeeze the sides of your head tightly.

FWIW, for earphones/IEMs of the type that one would typically use with an iPhone (vs. full-sized over-the-hear headphones) there's a kind of little-known magical secret: custom earmolds. There are companies that'll do them for a variety of moderately spendy earphones (it's not worthwhile for lesser earphones - you don't want to spend $100 customizing a $20 set). You go to an audiologist, they make an impression of your ear canals and send them off to the company, which uses them to make silicone earplugs that fit only your ears perfectly, with the proper openings to mount your earphones into them. They fit great, they're super comfortable, give good isolation from outside sound, and since the earpiece doesn't extend from your ear and doesn't need any sort of earloop to stay in place, they work great with glasses.

 

[44267547]

If Apple actually believes that wireless headphones is the future, then they should stop selling wired headphones altogether. Make it uniform the entire product line instead of selling a bluetooth for a premium price.

I was wondering when someone would point this out. Agreed. Thanks for this.

 

[doelcm82]

If Apple actually believes that wireless headphones is the future, then they should stop selling wired headphones altogether. Make it uniform the entire product line instead of selling a bluetooth for a premium price.

No need to go that far. They managed to wean us from optical drives by ceasing to build them in to most of their laptops, and eventually their desktops as well. They still sold an external drive for those that absolutely needed to read and write CDs and DVDs.

Apple hasn't actually said that they believe wireless is the future. Some of us who think wireless is the future have said it, and people assumed that if we said it, Apple must believe it. We'll have to wait a week to see how Apple presents this in their first official public unveiling of the next iPhone model, which is rumored to have no 3.5mm audio jack.

 

[Abazigal]

FWIW, for earphones/IEMs of the type that one would typically use with an iPhone (vs. full-sized over-the-hear headphones) there's a kind of little-known magical secret: custom earmolds. There are companies that'll do them for a variety of moderately spendy earphones (it's not worthwhile for lesser earphones - you don't want to spend $100 customizing a $20 set). You go to an audiologist, they make an impression of your ear canals and send them off to the company, which uses them to make silicone earplugs that fit only your ears perfectly, with the proper openings to mount your earphones into them. They fit great, they're super comfortable, give good isolation from outside sound, and since the earpiece doesn't extend from your ear and doesn't need any sort of earloop to stay in place, they work great with glasses.

Do you have any recommendations? No promises, but this does sound like something I don't mind investing in if it can guarantee a better listening experience.