By: Nick Gambino
Per a new report by revered analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will stop including wired EarPods with the sale of iPhone 12s. It’s been standard practice for the company to include a pair of wired headphones in every iPhone box, so this is a big change and signals more to come.
This is apparently being done in an effort to boost sales of the AirPods, which Kuo says will simultaneously see a major discount, enticing consumers to purchase the wireless option. This was all predicted/suggested in a note to investors and has not been confirmed by Apple itself.
There was a huge uproar when Apple ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack back in 2016, opting instead for the lightning port. Many thought it was a terrible decision and made little sense. Apple defended their position by touting their look toward the future.
A few years removed from the decision to deep-six the longstanding headphone jack, it seems they were right in moving toward a single port for charging and headphones, but not because the lightning cable has become the standard. Rather, this is because Bluetooth headphones have become the standard for in-ear audio, with Apple’s very own AirPods leading the way.
I personally wouldn’t even consider using wired headphones over my Airpods, not for a second. They are so convenient and one of the best tech purchases I’ve made in my life. The sheer convenience alone is worth the hefty price tag for such a tiny piece of equipment.
Sticking with Apple headphones news, a DigiTimes report suggests that new over-ear AirPods have started production.
“As Apple is likely to accelerate dropping its wired earphones, the vendor will resume normal shipments for AirPods 2 in the second half of the year and its new over-ear headphones, dubbed AirPods Studio, has also kicked off production, all securing growth momentum for rigid-flex boards suppliers for the devices including Unitech Printed Circuit Board and Compeq Manufacturing, the sources said,” the DigiTimes report says.
As with any grit that flies off the rumor mill, take all of this with a grain of salt until we see how it actually plays out.
