What you need to know
- Apple's upcoming AirPods Studio headphones might have been leaked.
- Twitter leaker Fudge says the photo "probably" shows the sports variant of the upcoming devices.
- The design is sure to leave a sour taste for some.
Twitter leaker Fudge has shared a photo on Twitter which they say "probably" shows the Sport variant of Apple's upcoming AirPods Studio headphones, and they are not cool.
Probably Sport variant of Apples headphones
Personally not impressed, looks too much like 2 Palm Pre's attached to 2 tuning forks :/ hard to unsee
Looks a lot like what @markgurman described in April, but with homepod mesh pic.twitter.com/dzAufRRl7mProbably Sport variant of Apples headphones
Personally not impressed, looks too much like 2 Palm Pre's attached to 2 tuning forks :/ hard to unsee
Looks a lot like what @markgurman described in April, but with homepod mesh pic.twitter.com/dzAufRRl7m— Stella - Fudge (@StellaFudge) September 16, 2020September 16, 2020
Fudge has a previous track record of accurately leaking upcoming Apple products including Apple's CarKey feature for iOS and iOS 14's Widget layout.
Perhaps more notably, industry heavyweight Mark Gurman has shared the leak on Twitter, noting his own story about Apple's upcoming headphones from April. From Gurman:
Apple Inc. is developing over-ear wireless headphones with parts that can be swapped in and out, seeking to augment its AirPods business with a high-end audio product, according to people familiar with the matter. The Cupertino, California-based tech giant is working on at least two variations, including a premium version with leather-like fabrics and a fitness-focused model that uses lighter, breathable materials with small perforations, the people said.
Given Gurman's own track record and likely insight into the upcoming product, it seems unlikely Gurman would add his own name to this particular report if it didn't match up with what he'd previously seen.
It's rumored that Apple will release a pair of AirPods Studio headphones later this year in the $350-$450 price range. They are expected to feature Active Noise Cancelling and, as mentioned by Gurman, interchangeable parts for different listening uses such as comfort and exercise.
The leaked design has the iMore team divided. Whilst there is a certain retro styling to them, Fudge notes that they are "hard to unsee", and look like two Palm Pre's attached to some tuning forks.
Fudge also shared a video of the reported white version of the AirPods Studio too:
Watermark-less white.
I did say they looked a bit worse IMO pic.twitter.com/AiYNMyfktRWatermark-less white.
I did say they looked a bit worse IMO pic.twitter.com/AiYNMyfktR— Stella - Fudge (@StellaFudge) September 16, 2020September 16, 2020
There's every chance this leak is not legitimate, but as noted, leaker Fudge has a proven track record and this has also been shared by Mark Gurman, who did nothing to dispel the notion this was accurate.
What do you think of this design? Let us know in the comments!
