Wireless Airpods or Lightning Earbuds: Which Will Apple Include?
Rumors for weeks have suggested that Apple is going to include a pair of Lightning Earbuds with the next-generation “iPhone 7,” but a new leak suggests that perhaps Apple may offer an option to get wireless “AirPods.”
Over the last several days we’ve seen various leaks suggesting that Apple plans to include a set of Lightning-equipped wired EarPods and a Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter with the upcoming iPhone 7.
But something interesting popped up earlier today that suggests that consumers may have a choice. A new leak shows what looks like the back of an “iPhone 7 Plus” and included in the box is a pair of “AirPod Wireless Headphones.”
To me, this is fascinating because it opens the possibility that perhaps Apple will include these wireless AirPods with the iPhone 7 Plus.
The big question, of course, is whether these would be free or a paid upgrade, much like the Magic TrackPad 2 when you buy a 5K iMac.
One reason why I could see Apple including them in the box as a paid upgrade is to make it easier for customers to buy them through their mobile carrier or Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program. For instance, if the base 32GB iPhone 7 Plus starts at $36 a month, maybe it’s just $42 a month when you add in a pair of Apple’s Wireless AirPods. That way, instead of charging the customer $149 up front (if that’s what they cost), it would be easier for them to pay it over time.
Of course, this is speculation, so who knows what Apple has planned. We honestly don’t even know if these labels are real or fake. We’ll just have to wait and see what Apple shows off on Wednesday, Sept. 7.
I can’t wait.
