Apple to announce its own branded audio products

Apple is expected to have its new iPhone 7 smartphone with a single Lightning connector on it, with the 3.5mm audio jack being removed, and now it's beginning to make much more sense, thanks to the rumors from KGI Securities analyst Ming-chi Kuo.

Kuo is reporting that the new iPhone 7 will not only see the headphone jack missing, but it'll include EarPods that will use the Lightning connector. But the goss gets better, with Apple reportedly working on its own wireless technology that will work on a higher-end set of headphones. Kuo said: "We believe Apple will position Beats in the midrange market once it launches Apple's own-brand Bluetooth headphones, in order to maximize profit with a dual-brand strategy".

The report from Kuo continues: "We also believe Apple will have its own-designed Bluetooth-like communication chip, given its higher requirements for power-saving, communication specs, and potential rapid growth of Bluetooth headphone shipments". The wireless headphones might be called AirPods, meaning that the EarPods could be the new Lightning-powered wireless earphones, while an actual pair of over-the-ear headphones could be unveiled by Apple.

This could be awesome: Apple unveiling its own premium brand of audio products will be huge, and it'll turn into a game changer for the company that's obsessed with design and quality. Sure, you and I might dislike iOS compared to the it-can-do-it-all Android, but audio products from Apple in the high-end market could be pretty awesome, and expensive.