This article is based on an article from the Japanese edition of Engadget and was created using the translation tool Deepl.
Apple is rumored to be developing stock over-ear headphones, commonly known as AirPods Studio. While this is still shrouded in mystery, the rumor is that it will contain the same U1 chip as the iPhone 11 series.
L0vetodream, an accomplished leaker (a leading source of information on unreleased products), tweeted a suggestion that the AirPods Studio includes a U1 chip. He has also been right on target in predicting when the second-generation iPhone SE and iPad Pro (2020) will be released, the "macOS Big Sur" name, and that the fourth-generation iPad Air has increased in price over the third generation.
u1 for studio
— 有没有搞措 (@L0vetodream) September 20, 2020
The U1 chip is Apple's proprietary ultra-wideband (UWB) chip, which is accurate enough to locate within four inches of an indoor location without a GPS signal, but at the time of writing, its use was limited to enhancing AirDrop in the iPhone 11 series.
L0vetodream also tweeted meaningfully, "The Internet of Everything began with u1."
Another well-known leaker Jon Prosser also said that the U1 chip will be used in "most if not all of their products in the future," including the rumored Apple's tracking device under the name AirTags, and that Apple plans to make it "part of their entire ecosystem." In support of this, the Apple Watch Series 6 has also been found to have the U1 chip.
In addition, L0vetodream explained more about the utility of the U1 chip in AirPods Studio and its wider significance. The leaker said, "With the launch of S6 and the U1 chip, it has confirmed my prediction that the ecosystem in the future will use U1 to determine distance and direction, similar to AirPods' spatial audio function in iOS 14. It is likely that the new headset with the U1 chip should be able to automatically recognize the left and right positioning of the headset."
好几个月之前说过这个观点 随着s6上市搭载了u1芯片之后 更加印证了我的预测 以后的生态链里面的交互是通过u1来判定距离和方向的 这次的AirPods在ios14里面的音频空间功能就是一个铺垫 有了u1芯片 新款耳机 应该能实现自动识别耳机的左右定位的 pic.twitter.com/cLQ2gBrwDQ
— 有没有搞措 (@L0vetodream) September 20, 2020
It was rumored that the AirPods Studio can detect the left and right sides of the ear and recognize the position of the headphones, and will sound properly no matter how the user wears them. This means there is no distinction between left and right, and the audio channels will switch as needed without manipulation, even when worn backward and forward.
In addition to that, L0vetodream described how AirTag will have more nuanced importance than simply item tracking.
"The tag is a node that interconnects everything. The node acts as a bridge to connect various devices. U1 is the most important part of the realization of this bridge. The privacy function of iOS 14 is created to make the tag better used in a private environment. A good solution to the problem of privacy violations involved in the use," L0vetodream says.
Until now, it has been speculated that AirTag is simply a tag that can be attached to things other than Apple products and tracked by a "find" app. But if it's going to "bridge to connect various devices" and set up a massive U1 network while protecting privacy, it's going to be part of the reason why Apple has been procrastinating on the announcement so far. This means that not only will it be able to accurately and broadly track items, but it could also allow for short-range data transfer between devices supplementary directional information through the U1.
We've already seen a photo of the AirPods Studio and images of the AiTags which are said to be based on "actual images".
Source: L0vetodream (Twitter)
Via: MacRumors
This article is based on an article from the Japanese edition of Engadget and was created using the translation tool Deepl. The Japanese edition of Engadget does not guarantee the accuracy or reliability of this article.