B&H claims Apple's BeatsX earbuds will go on sale Dec. 16

Apple will finally launch its BeatsX earbuds — equipped with the company's proprietary W1 wireless chip — on Dec. 16, according to retailer B&H.

A listing on B&H's website was pointed out by AppleInsider reader Bryce. Apple has never given an official release date for the earbuds, except that they should ship sometime before Christmas.

Indeed B&H's date could just be a reasonable prediction — but Apple would presumably share information with retailers when it's ready, especially for a product that isn't supposed to be a major secret.

For full disclosure, B&H is an AppleInsider partner, most notably in our Mac Price Guide.

While also working with third-party hardware, the W1 chip allows for quicker pairing with Apple devices, and in fact several of them simultaneously thanks to iCloud. The chip also offers extreme range, possibly up to 400 feet or more in the case of the Beats Solo3 Wireless, the first headphones with the technology.

So far, the only shipping products with the W1 include the Solo3 Wireless and the Powerbeats3 Wireless. Apple's self-branded AirPods have been delayed, though they might finally arrive later this month.

20 Comments

ibill 400 comments · 19 Years

About 8 years ago

Too late for holiday shopping unfortunately.

SMIDG3T 4 comments · 8 Years

Hopefullly this means AirPods will go on-sale sooner. I've always said Beats X won't go in-sale before the AirPods.

slprescott 759 comments · 10 Years

I don't understand why Apple has two lines of headphones: Beats, Apple

I guess the answer is "brand loyalty" -- there are many people who like the Beats brand, and Apple wants to keep them in the family. But the purist in me says that Apple need to reconcile these overlapping product lines into a single (and single-branded) offering.

schlack 727 comments · 11 Years

slprescott said:

I don't understand why Apple has two lines of headphones: Beats, Apple

I guess the answer is "brand loyalty" -- there are many people who like the Beats brand, and Apple wants to keep them in the family. But the purist in me says that Apple need to reconcile these overlapping product lines into a single (and single-branded) offering.

Beats is a higher end brand. Apple sound quality is bad to ok, and their top of the line AirPods go for $160, where as the entry level Beats go for $150 and sound better.

schlack said:

slprescott said:

I don't understand why Apple has two lines of headphones: Beats, Apple

I guess the answer is "brand loyalty" -- there are many people who like the Beats brand, and Apple wants to keep them in the family. But the purist in me says that Apple need to reconcile these overlapping product lines into a single (and single-branded) offering.

Beats is a higher end brand. Apple sound quality is bad to ok, and their top of the line AirPods go for $160, where as the entry level Beats go for $150 and sound better.

Ah, thank you.