Apple is working on high-end headphones to compete with Bose

Apple

Apple's current headphone marketing centers around the Beats brand and celebrities.

• Apple is working on over-ear headphones that could launch as soon as next year.
• It's also working on next-generation AirPods with water resistance and noise-cancelling, according to a Bloomberg report.

Apple could launch a pair of over-ear headphones as soon as 2019, according to a report from Bloomberg citing people familiar with the matter.

These headphones are designed to compete against models from Bose and Sennheiser, according to the report. These high-end headphones could be sold under the Apple brand, instead of the Beats brand that Apple bought in 2014 for $3 billion.

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Bose's top-of-the-line wireless, noise-cancelling headphone, the QuietComfort 35, costs $349.

Apple has increasingly turned to pricey audio accessories to boost revenue and profit. Apple's AirPods, which cost $159, have been popular with consumers. But HomePod, a high-end internet-connected speaker, has been less warmly reviewed.

Apple is likely to continue to offer new versions of both 'Pods, according to the Bloomberg report. The next generation of AirPods could include noise-cancellation and water resistance, as well as a longer wireless range and a higher price. Apple has considered adding additional health features, as well.

There are lots more details about Apple's audio strategy in Bloomberg.

Hollis Johnson

Apple's current headphone lineup, under the Beats brand, includes $350 headphones.