The Apple AirPods, the company's first pair of wireless headphones, were supposed to launch this month, but that's no longer the case.
Apple is apparently delaying the AirPods' release because the product is not ready yet, so it's taking more time to smooth things over before bringing the headphones to market. The company also mentions the initial response to its EarPods has so far been "incredible," but fans will have to wait a bit longer.
"We don't believe in shipping a product before it's ready, and we need a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers," an Apple spokesperson told TechCrunch.
The company made no mention of when the AirPods will finally be ready for release, nor did it offer any details regarding what software or hardware updates it still needs to implement.
In other words, it remains unclear for now just what caused the AirPods delay, but it shouldn't take too long now before the wireless headphones eventually hit the market.
It doesn't happen very often for Apple to delay product releases, but it's not without precedent either. The company previously delayed the release of its watchOS 2 right on the intended launch day to fix a bug it had just discovered.
While news of the delay might be disappointing for eager customers, surely all can agree that pushing back the release is preferable to launching a buggy product before it's ready for prime time.
As a reminder, Apple introduced its wireless AirPods back in September and planned to release them in late October. The headphones rock a new proprietary W1 chip that facilitates pairing with multiple Apple devices, allowing users to sync them with an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac and instantly switch between them based on what device is in use, as the AirPods share the Bluetooth pairing info via iCloud.
The W1 chip that powers the AirPods also uses Class 1 Bluetooth, which translates in a significantly greater range. The AirPods further feature beam-forming microphones, infrared sensors, accelerometers and other cool tricks.
"Just take them out and they're ready to use with all your devices. Put them in your ears and they connect instantly. Speak into them and your voice sounds clear. Introducing AirPods. Simplicity and technology, together like never before. The result is completely magical," Apple touts.
In terms of design, the Apple AirPods resemble the iconic Apple EarPods, but without the cord. For extra convenience, the wireless headphones also include a small charging and carrying case that allows users to charge them on the go.
At the time of writing, Apple's website still lists a "late October" release date for the AirPods, along with the mention that they're currently unavailable. When the wireless headphones do go on sale, they will cost $159.
