Just a few days ago, @choco_bit revealed the supposed design of the Apple AirPods Studio, much to the chagrin of other leakers like Jon Prosser. Since we reported on it, @choco_bit also published a video showing the AirPods Studio in white. Again, the publication of this video caused a lot of bother on Twitter. It seems fairly nondescript to the untrained eye, but you can make up your mind after having watched it below.
Now, @L0vetodream has shared more information about Apple’s first AirPods-branded over-ear headphones. Specifically, it concerns the inclusion of Apple’s U1 chip, which the company uses in the iPhone 11 series and the Watch Series 6. The U1 is an ultra-broadband chip that Apple uses to determine the precise location of another U1-equipped device. The iPhone 11 can, for example, find another U1 device via AirDrop by just pointing them at each other. The advent of AirTags is expected to bring greater versatility to the U1 chip as it will make it much easier to find devices like a missing pair of AirPods.
Apple will utilise the U1 in the AirPods Studio to automatically assign the correct audio channel regardless of orientation, according to @L0vetodream. This had been rumoured before, but it had been unknown how Apple would implement the feature. Apple is expected to announce the AirPods Studio for US$349 in multiple colours and styles.