Ever since Apple launched the AirPods in 2017 with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the wireless earphones have been crowned as the gold standard in the segment. The ease of connectivity the device offers within the company’s ecosystem remains unmatched. There had been reports doing the round all over the internet that the second generation of the wireless earphones are all set to launch soon. Fresh leaks have claimed that the new Apple AirPods 2 will feature fast wireless charging and may launch in the month of March.
Apple AirPods 2
The second generation of Apple AirPods is expected to be a major upgrade over its predecessor. The company already showed off the wireless charging case for the device but hadn’t released it because reportedly, it had overheating problems. It seems like Apple not only has figured out the solution, it has one-upped the competition by featuring fast wireless charging. According to the leaks, the AirPods 2, along with the case will take 15 minutes to charge from 0 to 100 percent. This will be due to the Qi-enabled wireless charging feature on the device.
Unfortunately, the leaks also alleged that the AirPods 2 will have a case that will be bigger in one direction and heavier than the last generation. This will be due to the fast wireless charging feature of the device, as it required different hardware. The wireless earphones may feature a similar charging mechanism like the Apple Pencil 2, which was announced alongside the iPad Pro last year. Other leaks also claimed that the AirPods 2 will be available in a new Black colour, and will have a new matte finish on the earphones.
Apple is expected to unveil the AirPods 2 at a press event on March 25. The device will be available for sale starting March 29 at an expected price of US $199 (around Rs 14,000).
When Apple launched the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and the iPhone X with wireless charging, they introduced another device with it, the Apple AirPower. The wireless charging mat by Apple was seen as an integral part of the Apple ecosystem. Now that most Apple products charge wirelessly, a product like AirPower could prove very useful. But it had been more than a year and we didn’t hear about the AirPower since. That is until now. It is reported that the AirPower has been leaked and will launch this spring.
The report seems official as it also claims that the advertisement shoot for Apple AirPower has already begun. This gives weight to the rumors that the AirPower was supposed to be launched in the first half of 2019. Along with that, it is also claimed that AirPods 2 are also making their debut this year. They will have deeper bass and look similar to the last model. It was reported that the AirPods 2 will arrive with great new upgrades over its predecessor. They will support hands-free ‘Hey Siri’ command and will have some more sensors to track health features.
AirPods 2: New Features
The Apple AirPods 2 are reported to sport an identical size as the last one. They would also look very similar to the original AirPods. They will have an improved internal design to provide more bass, something which was lacking in the first generation. Airpods 2 will also have wireless charging and have new sensors which will track some key health features. This may include heart monitoring and step count. The battery life will be identical to the first one. The texture will be similar to Google Pixel 3 to improve grip. This grip may also be used in the next generation of iPhones.
The AirPods 2 and the AirPower are not expected to debut together, which is unfortunate. Apple will reportedly also release a wireless charging case for the first-gen AirPods. The AirPods 2 are expected to arrive later this year. As far as pricing is concerned, the AirPower is expected to cost around $150 (Rs. 10,674) and the AirPods 2 are expected to retail at $200 (Rs. 14,233).
Apple devices are known for their top-notch quality and seamless connectivity across the Apple ecosystem. The AirPower and the AirPods 2 are just expected to add on that experience and make it more convenient. We will have more details about the devices in the coming months.
The Airpods 2 have been in the rumors for quite a while now. Along with the much leaked and hyped Airpower, the second generation of the super successful Apple Airpods are all but confirmed to be on the way. The latest news comes on behalf of 9to5Mac where the latest beta of iOS 12.2 was decoded and was found to have a separate, hands-free command for the Airpods.
via 9to5Mac
Now, the first generation of the Airpods don’t support this feature and thus, it is all but confirmed that the second generation does. There is also a claim of the Airpods getting new health-centric features. What those are, isn’t very clear because there is only so much you can do while being plugged in the ears.
The Airpods were launched in 2016 and were appreciated for their super simple pairing and connectivity to the Apple products. The sound quality of the Airpods was average at best so it will be interesting to see Apple work on it this time. The hands-free Siri command can be very useful in certain circumstances like when you want to summon the assistant to do the work for you. One more feature coming definitely to the second-gen Airpods will be wireless charging support for the case right from the ground up.
The updates seem substantial and justify a new model of the Airpods. One thing we wish Apple would work on something to make the size of the Airpods much smaller than they already are and if possible, make them look a little less ridiculous while in the ears. Color options also would be appreciated this time around.
The launch date of Airpods 2 isn’t clear on the horizon yet, but we should expect it to see it sometime in 2019, possibly in the first half.
One of the most anticipated events of 2018 is right around the corner. Apple’s September 12th event is what is on everyone’s mind and the new iPhone range is due to take centre stage. Apart from this, Apple is also rumoured to unveil the AirPods 2 and the Apple Watch 4 and possibly some more devices.
Launch Event:
The Apple Launch event will take place at the Steve Jobs Theatre on 12th September at 10:00 AM PDT. This converts to 10:30 PM Indian Standard time. This is 6:00 PM in the United Kingdom, 9:00 PM in UAE and 3:00 AM in Australia. The event can also be live streamed using various methods.
Those owning any apple device such as iPhone, iPad, Mac, or iPod can view it on the Apple TV app. The event can also be live-streamed on Safari and Microsoft Edge for Windows users.
iPhone:
The iPhone lineup for this year is arguably the most exciting thing about the event. Apple is bound to take a few steps to ensure the growth of its smartphone sales. Which have started to see a slight decline after the initial buzz of the iPhone X. The only solution which will help Apple out of that situation is to expand its customer base.
Via Spigen
For years, Apple stuck to manufacturing devices and delivering it to consumers. Unlike other manufacturers, Apple doesn’t focus much on market trends and what the consumers exactly want. They focused on bringing the best experience for users, but users never got much of a say in it. This might have started pinching them a little but as Apple is now looking to change their approach and cater to consumers.
We expect to see 3 variants of the iPhone which will cover a wide range of features, sizes and price. The devices will be called the iPhone Xs, the iPhone Xs Plus and the iPhone XC, according to reports. The iPhone Xs and Xs Plus will feature the same design as the iPhone X and will have OLED screens. The iPhone XC on the other hand, will feature an LCD display.
The sole reason for Apple to go in for the iPhone XC is to try to expand their market by offering a cheaper version of the iPhone. So lets find out all the rumours about these devices:
Design:
The iPhone Xs will sport a 5.8 inch screen while the iPhone Xs Plus has a 6.5 inch display. Both the devices sport a notch and design elements drawn majorly from the iPhone X. They will sport OLED displays and with glass bodies and stainless steel casing.
The cheaper, 6.1 inch iPhone XC on the other hand sports an LCD display. The display design is also based on the iPhone X. The device will sporting a glass body with an aluminium casing. The major design difference with the iPhone XC and the other two variants is the presence of only a single camera on the back.
All three of the devices will reportedly not have a Touch ID button and will fully depend on Face ID for its security. It is also rumoured that Apple will discontinue the 3D touch feature on the devices.
Processor:
The highlight of the new series of iPhones is the A12 bionic chipset from Apple. This is supposed to be a step up from the existing A11 bionic chip, which is already one of the fastest and most efficient chipsets out there. This is due to the manufacturing process behind the A12 chipset. The A12 chip uses the 7nm process as compared to the A11’s 10 nm process. This reduces the size of the transistors in the chip, allowing more transistors to fit into the same space. Therefore allowing for a better, smoother performance.
The A12 reportedly offers an increase in multi-core usability, supposed to bring up multi-core performance by 25-30%. The GPU performance is reported to have an even higher increment at 40%. This might not directly translate to gaming performance, according to experts. Analysts predict a real time number of around 25%. The A12 chip also gives a big boost to AI and machine learning. This will incorporate with the operating system to give better battery performance and camera results, according to reports.
Camera:
Alleged iPhone XC spotted
It is highly improbable that we will see a triple camera setup on the new iPhone. Reports indicate an improved sensor on the dual camera setup on the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Plus. Renders and leaks also reveal that the iPhone XC will however, only have a single rear camera. The camera sensors will be an improvement over last year’s devices in all senses. There will be better low light performance and enhanced AI integration to offer support in the portrait mode of the devices.
Battery:
All the three variants might have improved battery performance, more importantly they should. A flagship device in 2018 should meet numerous requirements to live up to tis name. One of the most important ones is a better battery life. It is obvious that the 6.5 inch iPhone Xs Plus will house a high battery, given its size and the demand from its display unit. Apart from this, the A12 bionic chipset will ensure better optimisation and longer battery life. Reports also suggest that Apple has worked on improving the idle battery life of the iPhones.
Price & Other Features:
Recent leaks also show that the devices will have dual SIM capabilities. The pricing of the devices is expected to cover a larger area so as to cater to a bigger consumer base. The iPhone XC is reported to be priced at CNY 5,888 which is around Rs 62,000. The iPhone XS is listed at CNY 7,388 and the iPhone XS Plus is at CNY 8,388 which are around Rs 77,980 and Rs 88,535 respectively.
iPad Pro:
The iPad Pro is expected to launch in a 12.9 inch and 10.5 inch variant. Numerous leaks and renders based on the said leaks have given us a fair idea about what the device may look like. The new iPad Pro will reportedly sport a sharper, bezel less design. We can also see the absence of a home button which could mean that the device is getting Face ID and that we won’t see touch ID anymore. However, the device will have to be vertical whenever you use Face ID as it doesn’t work horizontally.
It is also reported that the devices will sport an LCD display and not an OLED panel which is a bit disappointing. The iPad Pro will use the new A12X chipset and have 4 GB of RAM, according to reports. Storage will be variable, with options going up to 512 GB.
The iPad Pro will reportedly continue to offer Apple Pencil support and the smaller bezels will mean we will see a smaller device, despite the same screen size. The device is also rumoured to be dumping the lightning port to make way for a USB Type-C port.
The iPad Pro is expected to launch at Rs 54,999 for the 10.2 inch variant and Rs 64,999 for the 12.9 inch variant.
Apple Watch 4:
Latest reports suggest that Apple will be launching six brand new Apple Watch 4 models at the upcoming event. It is also reported that the devices will all sport ceramic backs and could possibly support LTE.
The device is also said to sport thinner bezels and will reportedly support electrocardiography (ECG) for advanced health tracking. The thinner bezels mean that we will get to see a larger display on a device the same size. The larger display can house more information and better optimisation of apps.
AirPods 2 & AirPower:
According to multiple reports, Apple is coming up with a successor to the already successful AirPods. The devices are said to sport a series of new features which will enhance the experience further. It is said that we will be able to summon Siri through the “Hey Siri” command rather than tapping the sides of the AirPods. Another widely expected feature is that of the launch of Apple’s AirPower wireless charging mat. This is highly relevant to the AirPods as it is rumoured that the AirPods 2 will support wireless charging.
And that’s not it, the new AirPods 2 are reported to support noise cancellation as well. Adding to this list is a report that they will be splash proof but not entirely waterproof.
MacBook:
We may be witness to the launch of an upgraded version of the MacBook. However, it is not clear whether this would replace the current 12 inch MacBook or whether it will be a totally different lineup. The new MacBook is reported to have a Touch ID sensor. The MacBook will also lack a TouchBar which we had seen in the MacBook Pro.
Certain speculations about an upgraded version of the MacBook Air is also doing the rounds, but this doesn’t seem too probable in the near future. Following the release of thinner, bezel less laptops at the IFA 2018, Apple might be looking as the new MacBook as an answer to the same.
With a wide range of products expected to be launched at this event, the level of excitement is higher than ever. With the power to change the course of the smartphone market, its time for Apple’s next big move.
