Apple AirPods Studio reportedly delayed yet again after 'major hiccup' in production

Apple AirPods Studio
(Image credit: Curved)

The Apple AirPods Studio are facing more delays, as production on the over-ear headphones is reportedly facing a 'major hiccup'. 

That's according to prominent Apple leaker Jon Prosser, who alleged in a tweet that the AirPods Studio won't be ready to ship until December at best, and could even be delayed until March next year. 

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In a follow-up tweet, Prosser says that, "technically, this means that (if everything goes smoothly and no further issues arise) they could still announce in November and ship in December" – but that it's just as likely that the AirPods Studio won't see the light of day until 2021.

Hope for the AirTags

Prosser also alleges that a few "key features" have been cut from the AirPods Studio – and while we don't know much about the specs, we're hoping that the headphones will come with Apple's UI chip as rumored. 

This chip could be used to help users locate their headphones if they go missing, using the Find My app, as well as determining distance and direction, allowing the AirPods Studio to automatically recognize the left and right positioning of the headset. In other words, you could wear them any way round, and the left and right channels will still come out of the correct earcup. 

The UI chip is also rumored to come in the long-awaited Apple AirTag, a Tile-rivaling tracker that leveraging the power of its iOS network to find anything you attached it attached it to – whether that's a handbag, a laptop, or a wallet. 

And, according to Prosser, that's one device that we won't have to wait much longer for:

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We had been hoping to see the AirPods Studio at the iPhone 12 launch on October 13 – but of course, they never materialized. 

Instead, we saw the Apple HomePod mini, which was finally announced after years of rumors and speculation.

A smaller version of the original Apple HomePod, the new smart speaker comes with a range of cool new features, including the ability to cast voice messages to Apple devices – including AirPods – in your home.

HomePod mini rumors had been circulating since 2018 – here's hoping we don't need to wait another two years to see the AirPods Studio. 

Olivia Tambini

Olivia was previously TechRadar's Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she's a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She's previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR.