Apple has its fingers in a great deal of pies these days. It seems barely a month goes by without a new product announcement or upgrade to reveal. That’s why we’re not too surprised that yet another reveal is said to be coming very soon.
With Apple’s jam-packed Spring Loaded event last month and plenty more to come at WWDC next month, we could forgive Apple for taking this month off. But according to the rumor mill, we’ll see next-generation AirPods and a new high-fidelity streaming tier for Apple Music within “the coming weeks.”
HiFi Apple Music
No, this isn’t a physical HiFi system – Apple HomePod has that market covered – but rather an upgrade for the Apple Music streaming service. According to sources from music labels, Apple is poised to release a high fidelity listening option that offers a much higher bitrate than its current 256kbps solution.
Spotify, Tidal, and others already offer HiFi tiers for lossless audio quality – but they charge a premium rate to access these files. Rumor has it Apple may include its new HiFi service at no extra cost, which would certainly give it a leg up over its rivals if true.
For audiophiles looking for the best quality listening experience, this is a huge deal – though your average Joe listening on cheap speakers probably won’t be able to tell the difference.
Third-generation AirPods
A third version of Apple’s AirPods has been rumored for some time, but it’s looking ever closer. A twin reveal of HiFi Apple Music along with an upgraded set of headphones to really make the most of the improved audio quality seems logical.
Of course, some of Apple’s existing audio tech already supports Spatial Audio: owners of AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, HomePod, and HomePod mini will benefit the most from an increase in Apple Music sound quality. It will be interesting to see whether Apple also brings this tech to its next AirPods release.
Either way, AirPods have proven absurdly popular and any improvement to the formula is bound to be welcomed with open arms. We’d be surprised to see Apple cram in another event, but keep an eye out for a quiet music-themed press release later this month. We’ll have all the details for you as soon as any more news drops.