True Wireless

I discovered the Erato Apollo 7 a few months ago during its Kickstarter campaign and nearly immediately knew it would be a pair of earbuds that could fit into my life nicely. It really looked like the first pair of true wireless earbuds that included all the functionality I wanted, without sacrificing any distinct feature. With the AirPods being delayed potentially as far out as January, is there a possibility that the Erato Apollo 7 ($299) is ready to fill the void that Apple left with the iPhone 7?

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Apple delayed the release of its new truly wireless earbuds called AirPods that it originally planned on launching in late October. It’s disappointing for some who wanted to use them with their new iPhone 7 that launched back in September. But what does the competition look like?

With the AirPods originally expected to launch sometime this month, right around the time of Apple’s MacBook Pro event and Apple Watch Nike+ launch last week, a lot of accessory makers have been planning launches to time and compete with Apple’s new wireless earbuds. Just this week a few new products launched, including Michigan-based Sol Republic’s first cord-free product called ‘Amps Air’, and today Best Buy is launching new $249 Skybuds that claim to offer 24 hours battery with an included charging case and improved connectivity.

If you just can’t wait for the AirPods, or want to check out the competition and see how Apple’s earbuds compare, these are the alternatives… 

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Audio accessory maker Sol Republic is today launching its first product in the cord-free headphone space, the ‘Amps Air’ wireless earbuds. The launch would have been timed with the now delayed release of Apple’s own similar wireless AirPods that were previously expected to launch late this month and possibly following the company’s Mac event today. Apple released a last minute statement yesterday informing customers it needs more time to get the product right before shipping.

But after using the new Amps Air earbuds from Sol Republic over the last week, I’m convinced they will be a better option for many…

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As previously teased, headphone maker Bragi today announced a new cheaper set of cord-free, truly wireless earbuds ahead of Apple’s iPhone 7 & Apple Watch 2 event on Sept. 7 this week.

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As time has gone on and increased reports of Apple’s next iPhone lacking a headphone jack have persisted, I’ve begun to delve deeper into the future of what consumer audio playback on iOS could be. Though headphones have found their way into nearly all levels of the consumer market in the past few years, I wanted to imagine what this headphone jack-less future could look like. I decided to start with the affordable, and what I would consider entry-level, Syllable D900s true wireless earbuds.

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