Apple AirPods Shipments Tipped to Be Delayed Till January 2017

Apple made a bold move of killing off the 3.5mm audio jack on its iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus this year. To compensate for the loss, the Cupertino giant bundled the Lightning EarPods, an adapter, and even unveiled the tiny wireless AirPods. The company was expected to start shipping the AirPods in October, but after announcing a delay, a fresh report states that the accessory won't see the light of day till January.

DigiTimes reports that supplier Inventec will begin the shipments not earlier than January 2017. Furthermore, Inventec's revenue is also expected to grow by 7 percent next year, thanks to the AirPods order.

If reports of a delay are accurate, then Apple currently does not have any in-house solution for audio on the iPhone 7, apart from the Lightning EarPods. Apple is usually known for strengthening its yield before releasing any product in the market - it does have new wireless Beats headphones however. The company was set to launch the device in late October, and then the MacBook Pro event, but instead it announced a delay.

However, a separate report from Apple Insider claims that the company will ship the AirPods by the end of this year, and not push it to the next year. The AirPods, whenever they arrive, will cost $159 (Rs. 15,400 In India).

For those unaware, AirPods are a pair of wireless in-ear headphones powered by Apple's new W1 chip that help in seamless pairing and the detection of hand gestures. Furthermore, the AirPods are not solely-Bluetooth powered, instead using a 'Bluetooth-like' technology developed by Apple. The AirPods are rated to deliver up to five hours of battery life on a single charge, and simply need to be inserted into the charging case to begin charging. The case can hold additional charge, letting you go for up to 24 hours of usage without access to a power outlet, according to claims by Apple.