Apple has finally launched its AirPods wireless earphones, after a delay of two months since the prospected October launch. The new Apple AirPods are now available for purchase at 159$/179€, as detailed by the company during the presentation in September.
Apple gave no precise explanation as to why the AirPods are two months late on the timeline, but gave a general – and rather vague – that they needed “a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers”.
The new earphones already sold out, despite their relatively high price, and the product is now listed as available in 4 weeks. The Californian company made them available in over 100 different countries, including the US, Canada, UK, China, France, Italy, Germany and Japan.
The new Apple AirPods offer up to five hours battery life, according to the company, but the carrying case also doubles as a charger and can offer more juice. The new AirPods borrow their design from the previous generation of wired headphones, called the EarPods, while ditching cables in favour of Bluetooth connection. The Bluetooth chip, the Apple W1, is among the main selling points of these earphones.
The price is much higher than that of similar products such as the Xiaomi Mi Sports headset or the V-Moda Forza Metallo, as in Apple’s finest tradition. It remains to be seen how the new AirPods will fare when compared to the competitors and if the price will be determined not only by the convenience of a complete wireless experience, but also by sound quality.
The Apple AirPods will be available in limited quantities for the coming weeks, although the company assured physical stores will receive constant batches of the product.
