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Microsoft Is Jumping Onto the Wireless Earbud Bandwagon, Says Report (arstechnica.com)
According to a report by Brad Sams at Thurrott, Microsoft is going to expand its range of audio hardware with the introduction of a set of wireless earbuds. They will accompany the Surface Headphones, a premium-priced pair of wireless headphones that Microsoft released last year. Ars Technica reports: Microsoft has shipped earbuds before: the Zune media player came with earbuds with a feature that sounds simple but is actually ingenious: the earbuds were magnetic and would stick together back to back. The result? Much less cable tangling when you put them in your pocket or bag. Surface Headphones seem to be competitive with other noise-cancelling over-the-ear headphones: their wireless range is great, the noise cancelling is solid, and their volume and noise-cancelling dials are a joy to use, but their battery life and Bluetooth audio standard support are both weak. As such, Microsoft is not totally without experience in this area and has shown that it can engineer thoughtful, compelling designs. How the putative earbuds will stand out from the crowd remains to be seen, of course.
The existing Surface Headphones were codenamed Joplin, raising the question: Janis or Scott? The earbuds make the answer to that question clear; they're apparently codenamed Morrison, as in Jim, meaning that the over-the-ear headphones are clearly named for Janis. Sams says that "Surface Buds" has been mooted as their retail name, with a possible launch in 2019.
The existing Surface Headphones were codenamed Joplin, raising the question: Janis or Scott? The earbuds make the answer to that question clear; they're apparently codenamed Morrison, as in Jim, meaning that the over-the-ear headphones are clearly named for Janis. Sams says that "Surface Buds" has been mooted as their retail name, with a possible launch in 2019.
Just provide a convenient and cost-effective means of replacing the battery when it fails. The current suite of ridiculously priced wireless earbuds are all drastically limited in lifetime by how many recharges the batteries can take before they don't even last the evening.
Just provide a convenient and cost-effective means of replacing the battery when it fails.
Except your concern is not even a thing for most people, so how would it stand out?
An AirPods user can just have Apple replace batteries when needed a few years down the road. Why make a product suck (which it would using any kind of common battery) for something you may need to do once every few years?
Or maybe they make some kind of super custom Microsoft battery. Honestly how is a user having to change out tiny super-expensive micro batteries "better" by any metric?
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
My Zune could use one.
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