Surprising Apple AirPower and AirPods Studio launch windows tipped by aspiring leaker
Apple managed to keep the entire mobile tech world, leakers included, guessing as to what the company was planning to unveil yesterday until the very last minute, but just because two new smartwatches and two upgraded tablets are finally official, that doesn't mean the 2020 guessing games have concluded.
It's now time to turn all our attention to not one but two different events the Cupertino-based tech giant is still expected to hold by the end of the year, at which a flurry of products across several different categories could see daylight.
As usual, the most reliable tipsters, insiders, and publications out there can't seem to fully agree on the timing of each announcement left to go down in 2020, as well as the number of new devices in the pipeline and their identities, let alone their detailed specifications and features.
The reports of the AirPower's death may have been greatly exaggerated
Although Komiya's name doesn't inspire as much confidence and respect as Jon Prosser, let alone Mark Gurman or Ming-Chi Kuo, when it comes to Apple-related leaks and speculation, this Twitter user has been proven right about a few things in recent months while making several other long-term predictions that may or may not ultimately pan out.
Of course, none of the aspiring leaker's claims on record have been quite as bold as the latest AirPower forecast, calling for the mythical wireless charging mat to be unveiled "at the next event" ahead of an actual commercial debut in December.
Leaked photos of a purported new AirPower version
According to multiple rock-solid sources, Apple's next (virtual) event is all but guaranteed to take place in October, offering us our first official glimpse at the 5G-capable iPhone 12 lineup at last. More specifically, the iPhone 12 series launch is expected to happen on October 13, with previous rumors pointing to the high-end AirPods Studio as the most likely chaperone for the hot new handsets.
But now it seems like the AirPower, which Apple originally announced back in 2017 then cancelled in 2019, could rise from the dead all of a sudden and hit stores in time for Christmas. Keep in mind that the 3-in-1 wireless charger has made a number of headlines in the last few months, but no one had the courage to say for sure if the company was able to fix the issues that plagued the original prototype.
Interestingly, if Komiya's intel proves accurate, a budget-friendly "AirPower Mini" variant of sorts might come to market first, followed by the full-sized and full-featured AirPower at some point by March 2021. Don't forget to keep that salt shaker nearby, though, and basically doubt everything before Apple makes it official.
You may have to wait longer than expected for the AirPods Studio
Remember when Jon Prosser suggested the next AirPods-branded product "could drop at any time"? Believe it or not, that was more than four months ago, and here we still are, desperately waiting for Apple to put us all out of our misery and challenge the newly released (and impossibly named) Sony WH-1000XM4.
While multiple recent reports have hinted at an October announcement for Apple's first own-brand over-ear headphones alongside the iPhone 12 family, @komiyaappleseed thinks the AirPods Studio could instead go official together with a bunch of refreshed MacBooks sometime in November.
The AirPods Studio may or may not look like Apple's existing Beats Studio 3
Obviously, we don't have an exact date yet or any type of solid evidence supporting this theory, but if Apple is indeed planning to revive the AirPower and take the wraps off a grand total of four main iPhone 12 variants next month, it makes perfect sense to avoid overcrowding this particular event and keep the noise-cancelling AirPods Studio a secret a while longer to ensure they receive the attention they probably deserve in the end.
Then again, much like the iPhone 12 roster, the most expensive AirPods flavor yet is already pretty well-documented, having a number of interesting selling points and unique features going for it in the battle against the aforementioned premium Sony cans and the similarly impressive Bose 700.
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