The iPhone 7 came out without the audio jack which resulted in the launch of the Apple AirPods. However, while the smartphone made its way to stores' shelves in just a matter of weeks after the September press event, its complementary gadget has yet to gain a release date.
There's no shortage when it comes to rumors regarding the wireless earphones. In fact, since it was introduced, there have been many reports trying to pinpoint when it will actually be available to purchase.
The Apple AirPods were initially planned to be sold starting late October, but obviously, that did not happen. The Cupertino-based company reasoned that they needed more time to polish the iPhone accessory before it hits the market as it still had hardware and software bugs.
"The early response to AirPods has been incredible. We don't believe in shipping a product before it's ready, and we need a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers," an Apple spokesperson told Tech Crunch. Unfortunately, the company representative did not give any timetable as to when consumers can expect the wireless earphones to see the light of day.
Just recently, multiple release dates have been popping up online. There are reports suggesting that it will finally be out sometime between Nov. 18 and 19. Others, meanwhile, delay it to a December rollout which could be good timing as it coincides with the peak of the holiday shopping season.
However, the latest update pushes it further back to a 2017 debut which is understandably a disappointment for those who are actually excited to try the AirPods. It is even worse for those who have no choice but to purchase them despite the impracticality of having no wires to keep them together on top of having a steep price for earphones.
Rumor has it that mass production for the AirPods will start this December, which supports a release date for next year. A previous supply chain report already presented a similar time frame with the wireless earbuds supposedly arriving sometime in January 2017.
