The Apple AirPods Studio may have finally had their first true leak, and it's not pretty. Alleged video and concept images of the headphones have begun making the rounds, revealing a design that could prove polarizing.
Yes, the AirPods that won't actually be pods — but instead larger, over-ear headphones — may have just made their first visual appearance. A clip of the alleged headphones was posted by internet leakers choco_bit and Jioriku, though the latter user seems to have deleted theirs.
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Watch it for yourself here:
Watermark-less white. I did say they looked a bit worse IMO pic.twitter.com/AiYNMyfktRSeptember 16, 2020
While the band that goes between both cups seems potentially legit, with a mix of fabric and metallic fixtures, the rest of the AirPods Studio looks especially pre-production, as an off-screen person in the video slides the unit into what looks to be a holster of some type.
The part of these AirPods Studio that looks unfinished are the metallic cups that have what look to be some sort of exposed facets or fixtures.
While this being part — but not all of the AirPods Studio — makes a lot of sense, the sleeve they're being packed into is giving us some concern. There's a clasp that the person off-camera is securing after the headphones go into the sleeve, and it all gives some sort of feel that this is all a part of the final packaging.
And if that's the packaging, that would mean these AirPods Studio are more legit and final than we want to believe.
Probably Sport variant of Apples headphonesPersonally not impressed, looks too much like 2 Palm Pre's attached to 2 tuning forks :/ hard to unseeLooks a lot like what @markgurman described in April, but with homepod mesh pic.twitter.com/dzAufRRl7mSeptember 16, 2020
Choco_bit also posted what they claim to be a "sport variant" of the headphones, which feature a similar design but in black instead of white. While the cans look a little better here, even the leaker makes a comment about not being impressed, and that the headphones look like two Palm Pres attached to tuning forks.
Frequent Apple leaker Jon Prosser quickly followed up on these leaks with several specs, as well as renders from Concept Creator that look quite similar to the leaked headphones in question.
More images 👇 pic.twitter.com/kRI0M5eSF4September 16, 2020
Prosser says the headphones will feature magnetic earcups, a high quality leather or metal design, can be worn in any orientation thanks to ear detection and will use USB-C over a standard headphone jack.
According to previous leaks, the AirPods Studio are expected to feature active-noise cancellation as well as head and neck detection that can automatically pause your playback when you take them off. Bloomberg previously reported that they will have a "retro" look with swappable earpads, which seems to track with these leaked videos and images.
Stay tuned to Tom's Guide, as we keep tracking the AirPods Studio through their next leaks and (hopefully) official appearances. Prosser has said they'll be a part of the rumored October iPhone 12 event, where we hope to see the Apple Silicon MacBook Pro and Apple AirTags.
