Apple AirPods release date and specs news update: analyst speculates production may start next month; AirPods to be launched in 2017

Initially slated for an October launch date, the anticipated Apple AirPods are still nowhere to be found, most especially that Black Friday is coming and there are still no signs of the product to be launched as of the moment yet.

A Barclays analyst, however, speculates that production for the AirPods might resume by next month, and shipping might commence by early 2017 already.

In a research note, analyst Blayne Curtis estimates that the production of AirPods by December will start off at just 10 to 15 million units.

The new Apple AirPods are highly anticipated because of their reported automatic turn-on and pause capabilities. The upcoming device can sense if they are being worn in the ears or not. When a user does put it on, it automatically plays music.

The AirPods are battery and chip-operated, but they are said to be energy efficient. Its Apple W1 chip lets the AirPods produce high-quality sound and manage its battery life to make it more efficient and make it last longer. Its sensors and motion accelerometers work with the W1 chip to control audio sound.

In addition, AirPods are guaranteed to connect automatically to other Apple devices with its one-touch setup. The device also comes with a microphone that can smartly filter out external noise, and focus or recognize the voice of the user immediately.

The device's lifespan is said to be around 5 to 8 hours of continuous playtime. Its battery life can be checked through its partnered Apple iPhone device.

Apple's initial promise to release AirPods by October are delayed because the company announced months ago that they still weren't ready for shipping. Most speculations put the release date on Jan. 2017, but these are not confirmed yet. The AirPods will be up on the Apple Store once they are officially announced or launched, and they are currently estimated to sell at $159.