Apple Reported To Unveil New AirPods With 3 New Upgrades, But A Big Feature Is Missing



Apple released the original AirPods in December of 2016 and now they are preparing to release the next generation of the wireless Bluetooth earbuds. Bloomberg is reporting that Apple is getting ready to release new AirPods that will have three new huge upgrades, but one big feature is missing.

Apple’s dangling sound earrings are expected to have new features that users have been clamoring for. The next generations of AirPods will allegedly be water resistant, have voice-activated controls and upgraded wireless connectivity. On the current AirPods, in order to summon Apple’s Siri digital assistant you have to tap the earbuds. With the new Apple AirPods you won’t have to tap the headphones and you merely say, “Hey Siri” to call for the personal digital assistant.

Apple will also enhance the wireless connectivity of the AirPods by upgrading the chip that manages Bluetooth connections. AirPods currently use the W1 chip, but the new earbuds will reportedly utilize the newer W2 chip that came out last year with the Apple Watch. The newer chip will provide greater Bluetooth stability and easier wireless connectivity. Another version of the new Apple headphones will also become water-resistant. The AirPods, which are internally known as B288, with the new chip and voice-activated controls will allegedly come out this year and the water-resistant headphones will debut next year. One feature noticeably missing is noise-canceling abilities, which is already available on other wireless earbuds.

AirPods have been an incredible new source of revenue for Apple. “Wearables were the second-largest contributor to revenue growth after iPhone, which is impressive,” said Apple Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri earlier this month during a conference call. Maestri added that AirPods sales had jumped 70% last year. Market research company NPD Group estimated that Apple’s AirPods accounted for 85% of completely-wireless headphone sales in the U.S. between December 2016 and Aug. 2017.

[TomsGuide]