A last-minute note from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo indicates Apple is developing a Bluetooth-like wireless chip they plan on using in new wireless headphones. Kuo says Apple will target the new headphones at a higher-end market than their well-known Beats headphones.
“We believe Apple will position Beats in the midrange market once it launches Apple’s own-brand Bluetooth headphones, in order to maximize profit with a dual-brand strategy. We also believe Apple will have its own-designed Bluetooth-like communication chip, given its higher requirements for power-saving, communication specs and potential rapid growth of Bluetooth headphone shipments.”
Kuo doesn’t indicate if Apple has plans to launch the new wireless gear at tomorrow’s iPhone event, or at a later date. Earlier reports have indicated that Apple is planning on launching a new lineup of Beats headphones alongside the new iPhones, to be announced tomorrow.
Several leaked photos and other reports indicate Apple will bundle Lightning EarPods and a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter with the new iPhones, due to the expected removal of the 3.5mm earphone port from the iPhone 7 handsets. Other reports have also claimed the Cupertino firm will offer wireless EarPods in the box with certain models of the iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus.
Of course, until the morrow, all of this is merely rumor and conjecture, but Apple will officially reveal the new iPhones, and any accompanying accessories, such as new headphones, and a new Apple Watch, at the big media event on Wednesday. Apple will be live streaming the event, and we’ll be live blogging it as it happens, so be here at 10AM Pacific Time (1PM Eastern Time) for all the action.
(Via 9to5Mac)
