AirPods Delay Attributed To Apple Ensuring Both Earpieces Receive Audio At Same Time (macrumors.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Mac Rumors: AirPods were originally slated to launch in October, but the wireless earphones were later delayed. Apple said it needed "a little more time" before they are ready for customers, and it has yet to provide an official update since. While the exact reason for the delay remains unclear, a person familiar with the development of AirPods told The Wall Street Journal that Apple's troubles appear to be related to its "efforts to chart a new path for wireless headphones," in addition to resolving what happens when users lose one of the earpieces or the battery dies. The Wall Street Journal reports: "A person familiar with the development of the AirPod said the trouble appears to stem from Apple's effort to chart a new path for wireless headphones. In most other wireless headphones, only one earpiece receives a signal from the phone via wireless Bluetooth technology; it then transmits the signal to the other earpiece. Apple has said AirPod earpieces each receive independent signals from an iPhone, Mac or other Apple device. But Apple must ensure that both earpieces receive audio at the same time to avoid distortion, the person familiar with their development said. That person said Apple also must resolve what happens when a user loses one of the earpieces or the battery dies."

Comments

Apple should

[Progman3K]

Apple should get out of the Courage business and get back into making computer hardware.

I don't know how much more "courage" the industry can take...

Re:Apple should

[NatasRevol]

Ah, yes. They'll follow the lead of the other hardware makers. Ones who are doing such a good job, their profits are increasing.

Like the companies on the following list:

1. Apple

Re:na, that can't be it

[msauve]

If they truly cared, they would have figured out how to make wireless earphones work properly before removing the headphone jack from their phones.