Apple AirPod release date, price, specs: Revolutionary headsets take the world a step closer to wireless future

Pre-release specs news about the iPhone 7 have consistently noted the absence of a headphone jack in Apple's newest smartphone model. Analysts guessed that Apple was about to introduce innovative wireless headphones that would work side by side with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and they weren't wrong.

In the recently concluded media event held on Sept. 7 at San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller, unveiled the AirPods, wireless headsets that promise to change the way people interact with their mobile devices.

Although not the first to introduce wireless headsets in the tech market, Apple sets the AirPods apart with the revolutionary W1 chip that is responsible for keeping the two earbuds in sync while running on an ultra low-powered Bluetooth connection. This is according to Apple's official press release.

Using the AirPods is presumably effortless, requiring only one tap to set it up with either the iPhone or the Apple Watch. The headsets have no switches and buttons but are instead equipped with infrared sensors and motion and voice accelerometers.

With the infrared sensors, the AirPods can detect when the headsets are in the user's ears so that they can play only when the user is ready to listen. So if the user wishes to pause the music or any other media, one only has to take the headsets off his ears and the media will automatically be paused.

The motion accelerometers allow access to Apple's virtual assistant, Siri, with a double tap. Meanwhile, the voice accelerometers are designed to recognize the vibrations as well as the source of the user's voice while simultaneously activating the beam-forming microphones at the bottom tip of the headsets. These microphones reduce external noise and allow for clearer communication.

According to CNET, the AirPods can last up to five hours on a single charge. These come with a custom charging case that adds 24 hours to the headsets' battery life. Although it can be used with non-Apple audio devices with Bluetooth capabilities, special features can only be accessed through Apple devices equipped with iOS 10, watchOS 3 or macOS Sierra processors.

The AirPods are scheduled for release in late October and will sell at $159 at the official Apple website and Apple Stores.