Apple is making its own high-end headphones to compete with Sony and Bose, but according to a new report, the company is struggling with several design issues plaguing its internal prototypes.
Bloomberg writes that the headphones are specifically aimed at the premium market, but according to people familiar with the matter, the company is having difficulty finalizing the design.
No specifics were given, but the source cited says this isn't entirely unusual, as similar challenges were faced during the design of the HomePod, though it's unclear whether this could lead to a delay in the headphones or not.
It appears, however, that work on this new headset has been on-and-off for the past year, and all options are currently being considered, including even killing the project altogether. But there is a possibility that Apple will evaluate other plans as well.
As for the specifics of the earphones, they are almost entirely absent, although previous reports suggest there’s a good chance Apple is going for features like wireless support and noise-cancelling technology. This is something to be expected from high-end earphones, but Bloomberg claims that wireless pairing functionality similar to that of the AirPods is likely to be offered.
Apple is looking to compete with Bose and Sony with this new product, so pricing could be similar to its flagship devices, which currently run around $350. Apple is apparently charging a premium for the headphones, and some sources suggest that a $500 price tag is very likely.
As with everything Apple, the company hasn't dropped a hint about a new high-end, but more information is expected to emerge in the coming months. The target now seems to be the 2018 holiday season, so Apple could at least preview the headphones in the fall when the new generation of iPhones is released.
