Apple AirPods Studio To Be Partially Assembled In Vietnam, Report Claims

Previous reports indicate that Apple is working on a new high-end pair of over-ear headphones that will be called AirPods Studio. A new report citing sources with knowledge on the matter confirms this.

Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier claimed that Apple's new AirPods Studio will be arriving this year. A new report from The Information (via MacRumors) seems to affirm this claim, saying Cupertino is already working on the new headphones and has “tapped factories” to produce it.

The report noted that the AirPods maker is working with contract manufacturer in Vietnam for the said project. The companies Cupertino tapped include Goertek and Luxshare, both of which will work on assembling “at least a portion of the headphones in Vietnam,” MacRumors emphasized. The companys will then ship these to Apple in June or July.

This is the first time that the AirPods maker has used Vietnam-based factories to manufacture an entirely new product – previously, it relied on China-based firms to produce new products, and tapped Vietnam-based companies to supplement the production of older products that are already made in China.

Apple's decision to move production to Vietnam is made in response to the current political and trade tensions between the U.S. and China. This will be seen as a test of the iPhone maker's ability to manufacture new products in another location.

What to expect

Regardless of where it is manufactured, the AirPods Studio is expected to have the following features:

• The best AirPods features

The AirPods Studio is expected to offer the best AirPods features such as ear detection (the ability to detect if it is worn on the ears for auto pause and play), “Hey Siri,” active noise cancellation and more.

• Retro, customizable design

According to Bloomberg, which has seen the device, it will feature a “retro-look with oval-shaped ear cups that swivel like a headband connected by thin, metal arms.” What's more, it will come in two variants: a premium model that uses leather-like fabrics and a sporty model that uses “lighter, breathable materials with small perforations. The ear pads and headband padding are swappable.

• Hefty price tag

Frontpage Tech's Jon Prosser said the AirPods Studio will sell for $349, which means it's more expensive than other offerings from Microsoft, Sony and Bose.