Microsoft announced that contrary to what it had previously stated, the Surface Earbuds will not be released in time for the holidays and in fact we should not expect them before spring 2020.
The company's chief product officer, Panos Panay, posted a tweet on his account saying that getting "all the details of the product right" would take longer than expected, without giving further details about the reasons for the delay.
Microsoft's new headphones were designed to compete with Apple 's recently released AirPods Pro , but it now appears that Microsoft is missing out on the crucial holiday season.
Microsoft unveiled the headphones last month at its annual developer conference. They will cost $249 and will allow for up to eight hours of listening time on a single charge.
In comparison, the AirPods Pro offer 4.5 hours of listening time on a single charge and are priced the same.
The Surface Earbuds, like Apple's devices, have two microphones built in for noise cancellation. They use tap-and-swipe controls that let you access Spotify without touching your phone.
Additionally, Microsoft's headsets offer translation for 60 languages and have Cortana. They are also expected to have built-in Outlook calendar and email or PowerPoint software.
As for the product's design, it will have a large disc that remains outside the ear and certainly sets it apart from Apple's counterpart.
Recently, of course, another competitor has emerged in the Earbuds space, as Amazon began selling its Echo Buds, priced at $129, last month.
With the new delay announced by Microsoft, 2020 will see the launch of three Surface, as the Surface Neo and Surface Duo are also expected to launch next year.
