Apple AirPods release date, specs, price news: Wireless headphones to arrive in time for the holidays?
The AirPods could be arriving in the next few weeks. Apple's wireless headphones were initially slated to arrive in late October but had been delayed.
The AirPods were first announced during Apple's Sept. 7 keynote that also saw the introduction of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus. The accessory was highly anticipated due to the lack of the 3.5 mm audio jack in the company's newest flagship devices. While the smartphones were eventually released, the AirPods failed to follow suit.
In October, an Apple spokesperson told TechCrunch that they needed more time to develop the product. It was said that Apple did not want to ship out a product that they felt wasn't ready. Unfortunately, no new release date was mentioned at that time.
Now, if the latest reports are to be believed, the release of the Apple AirPods could be imminent. According to MacRumors, a customer had emailed Apple CEO Tim Cook and asked about the arrival of the wireless headphones.
"Thank you for your note. Sorry for the delay—we are finalizing them and I anticipate we will begin to ship over the next few weeks," Cook reportedly said.
The media outlet verified that the email's headers appear to have originated from Apple's corporate servers, which could signify the legitimacy of the email exchange. However, there is still a possibility that the email was faked. Furthermore, Apple replied a request for a comment. As such, readers are advised to take this with a grain of salt.
If the AirPods do arrive in the next few weeks, the timing could be highly profitable for Apple given the holiday shopping season. However, according to Newsweek, if Apple wants to take advantage of the customers' buying behavior, the AirPods have to arrive before Dec. 27.
Upon its release, the Apple AirPods are expected to provide users with an effortless way to listen to music, take calls or talk to Siri. Once placed in one's ears, it is automatically connected to the paired device. The AirPods can also sense when they have been removed. It is powered by a W1 chip that allows up to five hours of use on a single charge. Furthermore, the AirPods gain up to three hours of battery life with just 15 minutes of charging.
