The news comes from an email sent to French website iGen.fr (via 9to5 Mac) indicating new “Beats by Dre” headphones being released on September 7, which was reportedly sent out early by the Beats PR team by mistake. Shortly after a screenshot of the message was posted to the site, representatives from Apple’s Beats branch reportedly requested the screenshot be removed, lending some credibility to the reports.
While it’s unknown exactly what kind of Beats gear could be revealed at the event, it’s likely that any Beats gear would be at least tangentially tied in to the release of the new iPhone, which is widely expected to do away with the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of Bluetooth and Lightning connections. This could theoretically mean we’ll see a new pair of Beats headphones which connect directly to the iPhone’s Lightning connection, as well as possible Bluetooth solutions to the iPhone 7’s lack of a jack.
Alongside the new phone, Apple has long been expected to show off a new pair of Wireless Bluetooth earbuds of its own, called “AirPods.” It remains to be seen whether the expected new earbuds will be Apple or Beats branded. However, if recent history is anything to go by, any headphones paired with the phone will likely keep the Apple name.
Apple has generally kept the Apple and Beats brands separated, at least when it comes to hardware. Sure, the company ended up using talent and technology from Beats Music in the creation of Apple Music, but it still sells Beats headphones and speakers separately from its own products. There’s always the chance that September’s event could signal a change for the two companies and their separate paths — or it could just be Apple will be showing off new gear from its subsidiary.
Either way, all eyes (and ears) will be focused on the event to find out just how Apple plans to solve its self-created headphone jack conundrum. Stay with Digital Trends for more updates, and full coverage of Apple’s September 7 event as it unfolds.
