Apple to upgrade AirPods
san francisco — Apple, seeking to bolster its wearables business, is working on upgrades to its wireless AirPods headphones, according to people familiar with the matter.
Like with its mobile devices — the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch — Apple intends to frequently update the AirPods with new hardware features. The Cupertino, California-based technology giant is working on a new version for release as soon as this year with an upgraded wireless chip, the people said. A subsequent model for as early as next year is planned to be water-resistant, they added, asking not to be identified discussing private product plans.
The model coming as early as this year will let people summon Apple’s Siri digital assistant without physically tapping the headphones by saying “Hey Siri”. The function will work similarly to how a user activates Siri on an iPhone or a HomePod speaker hands-free.
The headphones, internally known as B288, will include an upgraded Apple-designed wireless chip for managing Bluetooth connections. The first AirPods include a chip known as the W1, and Apple released the W2 with the Apple Watch last year.
The idea for the water-resistant model is for the headphones to survive splashes of water and rain, the people said. They likely won’t be designed to be submerged in water. The latest iPhones can survive splashes, while the Apple Watch is considered “swimproof”. Apple’s plans could change or be delayed, the people said. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.
The AirPods are designed by the same department that produced the HomePod speaker, Bloomberg News reported last year. Apple introduced the first AirPods in 2016 alongside the iPhone 7 as a way to replace the traditional wired headphone jack. Since launch, AirPods have been considered one of the top-performing Apple products and have resonated with both reviewers and consumers.
The product helped take wireless headphones mainstream. It was one of the first models to be fully wireless and come in a case that charges the headset. Similar products followed from Google, Sony, Samsung, Motorola and Bose. AirPods accounted for 85 per cent of the money spent in the US on wireless headphones since they debuted. — Bloomberg