Apple AirPods to Feature Custom Bluetooth Chip, Target High End Market [Report]

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Posted September 6, 2016 at 5:56pm by iClarified

A new report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that Apple's upcoming wireless earphones will feature a custom Bluetooth chip and will target a higher end market than Beats by Dre.

The earphones dubbed AirPods will be similar in style to The Dash earphones by Bragi. Their custom Bluetooth chip is said to improve battery performance for longer battery life.

The AirPods could be unveiled as soon as tomorrow. According to Kuo, Apple plans to target the high end market with the earphones and target the mid range market with its Beats headphones. It's unclear if this means the AirPods will be priced higher than Beats or whether the price of Beats will be lowered in the future.

We believe Apple will position Beats in the midrange market once it launches Apple's own-brand Bluetooth headphones, in order to maximize profit with a dual-brand strategy. We also believe Apple will have its own-designed Bluetooth-like communication chip, given its higher requirements for power-saving, communication specs and potential rapid growth of Bluetooth headphone shipments. Cheng-Uei and Inventec are the likely choices for assembly service.

Kuo predicts that Apple will not include wireless earphones with the iPhone 7, rather the company is likely to ship the new smartphone with Lightning EarPods.

To find out what Apple unveils tomorrow, please follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS for updates.

[via MacRumors]

Apple AirPods to Feature Custom Bluetooth Chip, Target High End Market [Report]

[The Dash]

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joshWUa - September 7, 2016 at 3:13am

Yup didn't you play KOF2013 on you PlayStation?

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City023 - September 6, 2016 at 11:44pm

Gonna need a few pairs. Cause I see a lot of people including myself losing them.

basicitizen - September 6, 2016 at 8:54pm

I'll buy it. As long as it sounds good. Good sound is in the ears-of-the-beholder. Don't talk nonsense just because you had a bad experience. It's just mean they aren't for you. I for once, love the Powerbeats 2 Wireless, it sounds good to ME.

Chip - September 6, 2016 at 7:58pm

Noii matter what people say, beats by Dre is garbage headphones people should be ashamed of saying they are so great. The apple wired head phones that comes with the phone sounds way better fit free. So these will be great.

gamerscul9870 - September 6, 2016 at 7:35pm

Don't give your hopes up. It still could be headphones under $50 for all we know.

Jeff D - September 6, 2016 at 9:08pm

Just a thought. Please learn to actually use words (like inevitable) correctly before trying to sound high and mighty please. Someone trying to sound smarter than they actually are seldom if ever works out for them in the end.

gamerscul9870 - September 6, 2016 at 7:34pm

Don't you wish! The battery will be good because of how other wireless headphones look because of the long think material built into them. It will be as good as the quality Apple Watch!

joshWUa - September 6, 2016 at 9:03pm

Then buyers remorse will kick in once they slip out and fall down the drain, or misplaced lol. But ehh apple you are in trouble this and next year.

gamerscul9870 - September 7, 2016 at 3:20am

Or they leave happy like me with headphones that are majorly improved. Apple is no surprise going to succeed this and next year. What makes you think you have hopes for what you wish it could turn out to be?

ZVeguillaCotto - September 6, 2016 at 6:06pm

I've lost them already

Yeah right!...

Jeff D - September 6, 2016 at 9:09pm

LMAO!!! I second that.