Apple awarded patent for magnetically detachable wireless EarPods

Apple has been awarded a patent for an ingenious pair of headphones that can function as both traditional or Bluetooth ones. The patent according to Apple Insider was applied for back in 2012, so if Apple skipping on the 3.5mm jack for the headphones is any indicator, we could see this patent coming of use for the EarPods to be bundled with the upcoming iPhone 7. As per the patent filing at US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) the headphones look like a regular pair of earpods, but comes with two cables instead of one. While the normal set of EarPods sports just one cable running from the jack to the both ears, the patent shows two cables. The first one connects the two EarPods together and the second one that connects the EarPods cable to a 3.5mm jack.  According to the patent, the first cable that connects both headphones together will work to form a listening subsystem, while the second simply connects the first to another device. But there’s more. The first subsystem that connects just the two headphones from one ear to the other can work as a Bluetooth headset all by itself. When linked to the second cable, it forms a tether that will let you plug those Bluetooth headphones into a traditional 3.5mm jack (so far, just for the iPhone). And there’s more. The magnetic link that connects both cables together also works similar to the Magsafe or Magnetic charging connectors on MacBooks and the Apple Watch, meaning that you can charge the Bluetooth part of the headset when plugged into a 3.5mm headphone jack. This does remind us some currently available Bluetooth headphones but it remains to be seen how light or regular, Apple can make the EarPods look and feel. While the magnetic connector is certainly a good idea, the battery life is another concern. Also it is wise to remember that Apple could have changed the design drastically since the patent was filed back in 2012. This is more so since recent rumours point to two separate EarPods similar to what we have with the Bragi Dash earbuds.