Apple may launch over-ear headphones by fourth quarter of the year

The Apple logo is seen on a computer screen in this illustration photo taken in Bordeaux, France, February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau - RTX2Z7S8

After AirPods, the expensive wireless earbuds, Apple may launch a high-end, over-ear headphone with a brand new design by the start of the fourth quarter of 2018, a leading analyst has said.

KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a promising record of correctly predicting about Apple hardware, said in an investor note that Apple is aiming to deliver a product that boasts the convenience of AirPods but with better acoustic qualities, Apple Insider reported.

Kuo said that the company is looking to pack high-quality components in the headphone that will boost its performance. Expectedly, the headphone will be more expensive than the AirPods.

It is also expected that the Cupertino-based company will introduce an upgraded version of the AirPods in the second half of this year.

Apple, keeping its tradition of pioneering hardware it produces, had used W1 chip for AirPods. Similarly, its HomePod device was packed with A8 SoC which supports adaptive acoustics. A logical expectation is that the headphones would also feature some new technology.

A current supplier of Apple SZS is tipped to be the part of the project working on the integration of metal enclosures.

Last month, Kuo had predicted that Apple was most likely to discontinue iPhone X rather than sell it at a lower price when the second-generation model of the phone comes on the market later this year.

“iPhone X would hurt product brand value and lineup of 2H18 new models if it continues to sell at a lower price after 2H18 new models launch: Lowering iPhone X's price after the 2H18 new models launch would be a negative to product brand value given 3-D sensing and OLED display are features of the new high-price model,” the research note shared by him read.