Apple delays AirPod launch beyond October
You'll have to turn to Beats if you want Apple-made wireless headphones.
We hope you weren't dead set on getting a pair of AirPods in the immediate future. Apple tells our TechCrunch colleagues that it's delaying the launch of its self-branded Bluetooth earbuds past their original late October launch window. The company needs a "little more time" to make them ready for your ears, according to a spokesperson. It's not clear what prompted the last-minute move, but early reviewers have occasionally noticed bugs -- it may just be a question of polish.
You don't strictly need AirPods if you just want some of the benefits of Apple's W1 chip. The company is already shipping Beats headphones that take advantage of the hardware's fast pairing with iOS devices. However, you will miss out on the clever Siri integration, not to mention a charging box that gives you extra battery life without some of the usual hassles of external batteries. We'd rather that companies ship late than deliver buggy products, but that won't make you feel any better if you were really hoping to give the AirPods a try.
