Apple-Branded Premium Over-Ear Headphones Rumored To Debut In Q4
Apple has some very popular headphones on the market already with its Beats subsidiary being one of the hottest brands out there. Apple also has its own AirPods wireless earbuds, but a new rumor making the rounds suggests that the company might have its own branded over-ear headphones on the market as early as this year.
The rumor has started with a note to investors penned by KGI analyst Ming-Cho Kuo, who is is known for very accurate Apple predictions. Kuo's note claims that Apple will be debuting a branded high-end over-the-ear headphone with an all-new design. The analyst doesn't give a specific time frame prediction but does say that he doesn't believe the headphones will launch
Kuo says that Apple is looking to offer a product with the convenience of AirPods, but with better acoustic qualities. That likely means wireless connectivity to devices. As for pricing, you can expect the new over-ear headphones to be more expensive than AirPods, but exact pricing detail isn’t offered.
Word is that current Apple supplier SZS, a metal injection molding company, will be part of the project. That could mean that the new audio device will have metal ear cups. Kuo also expects Apple to launch the second generation AirPods this year.
Previous rumors have suggested that the new AirPods will have hands-free Siri. The current AirPods require users to tap the earbud to activate Siri. The hands-free Siri rumor suggests that you will be able to say "Hey Siri" to activate the voice assistant just as you do with an iPhone.
