One of many smallest members of Apple’s product lineup could get a helpful replace this 12 months. Based on a Bloomberg report, Apple is engaged on new fashions of its AirPod wi-fi earbuds. One may debut later this 12 months with an up to date wi-fi chip and one other with a waterproof design could come out in 2019.
AirPods arrived in 2016 alongside the iPhone 7 as an answer to the smartphone’s lack of headphone jack. The W1 chip contained in the Airpods helps it join virtually instantly to a person’s Apple merchandise. Based on the report, Apple is creating a brand new mannequin with a brand new wi-fi chip that helps it higher handle Bluetooth connections. It is unclear if this new chip will probably be a variation of the W2 chip, which debuted with the Apple Watch Collection three final 12 months, or a completely new one.
This 12 months’s new mannequin may additionally give customers voice activation for Apple’s digital assistant Siri. At present, customers should faucet the aspect of an AirPod after which say “Hey Siri” to make use of voice instructions. Within the new AirPod fashions, summoning Siri can be hands-free, requiring solely a voice command and no bodily immediate.
One other AirPod mannequin that is reportedly deliberate for a 2019 debut would characteristic a waterproof design, constructed to resist rain and splashes. It is unlikely that these AirPods would survive being submerged in water for lengthy durations of time, however they may simply deal with a sudden downpour or an sudden dip.
AirPods have confirmed to be one among Apple’s most profitable merchandise since launching practically two years in the past. A part of that is because of new iPhone homeowners wanting wi-fi earbuds, however it’s additionally as a consequence of AirPods’ ease of use and comparatively inexpensive worth. Because of the Apple-made W1 chip, AirPods join seamlessly to iPhones, iPads, and Macs, and Apple made it pretty straightforward to change between audio sources when utilizing AirPods. Whereas they don’t seem to be the most affordable wi-fi buds, the $159 AirPods are nonetheless inexpensive within the rising world of really wi-fi audio wearables.
AirPods’ success has undoubtably bolstered the general success of Apple’s “different merchandise” section, which incorporates the earbuds, Beats units, the Apple Watch, Apple TV, and different equipment. That section introduced in over $5 billion in income within the first quarter of 2018, representing a 36 % year-over-year enhance. It pays for Apple to proceed updating AirPods, nevertheless incrementally, as a result of deliberate upgrades in Bluetooth connectivity and design ought to solely enhance the person expertise. The introduction of recent AirPods may additionally carry down the value of older fashions.
