Report: Wearables get boost in Q3 due to 'hearables'

A recent report from the market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) shows the impact of Apple on the wearable segment. Or we should say, the effect of the Apple AirPods on the industry. The wearable segment has seen a significant rise in the third quarter of 2019 because of the "hearables" market, which is another name for wireless earbuds, headphones, etc. 

A total of 40.7 million units of hearables were shipped over 2018's 11.8 million. This figure means that for the segment alone, there was a year-on-year growth of 242.4%.

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Report claims Apple might bundle the AirPods with its 2020 iPhones

If the report from DigiTimes is to be believed, then next year's iPhones will come bundled with AirPods. The hit-or-miss Taiwanese publication cites unnamed industry sources, claiming that "smartphone vendors including Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi are looking to bundle their new models with TWS earbuds next year." TWS stands for "truly wireless stereo" earphones, which includes accessories like the AirPods and Samsung's Galaxy Buds.

We can't say how accurate the report is, especially with how expensive AirPods are and how popular these accessories are on their own. It would be uncharacteristic for Apple to bundle a high-demand accessory. Perhaps a more reasonable rumour would be a more advanced version of EarPods will be bundled with the iPhone. Or only the higher-end iPhone 12 Pro models will get this bundle. The iPhone is at least 10 months away from its launch, so we'll be keeping our eyes out to see if this particular rumour will become true. 

Source: MacRumors

AirPods’ wireless charging case rumoured to charge the earbuds to full in just 15 minutes

There’s a rumour going around it wouldn’t take too long to charge the AirPods with its wireless charging case. According to Twitter leaker Max Weinbach, the wireless charging case can get your AirPods from zero to 100% in just 15 minutes. Right now, the AirPods can get three hours of use with a 15-minute charge so this leap would be significant. The tradeoff supposedly is the case will be thicker and heavier so it can fit the Qi coils.  It’ll supposedly be slightly longer in one dimension. As previously rumoured, it’ll reportedly come within the next few months. 9to5Mac warns that Weinbach doesn’t have a proven record yet when it comes to leaks, so these claims must be taken with a grain of salt.

AirPods 2 to retain the looks of the original

The AirPods second iteration is expected to arrive soon. New details have been leaked about the Bluetooth earbuds. The AirPods 2 are rumoured to be carrying the same design as the original AirPods. What's being improved is the bass response as well as the addition of more health-related tech (like heart rate sensor). Its battery life is expected to be roughly the same. It would supposedly also get a new coating for better grip and would cost US$200 instead of $150.

Source: GSMArena