Apple is planning to build its own stereo Bluetooth headphones for future iOS devices and MacBooks after secretly acquiring a California maker of Bluetooth gear.
It has emerged that Apple secretly acquired a small Bluetooth wireless headphone designer called Wi-Gear in San Francisco two months ago for an undisclosed sum.
According to a report on 9to5mac, the company made three generations of A2DP stereo headphones called iMuffs, as well as a Bluetooth adaptor for older iPhones and iPods that don’t support Bluetooth 2.0.
The company’s products were specifically geared to be used with iOS devices.
It is clear that Apple plans to build its own Bluetooth headphones for future iOS devices and MacBooks using Wi-Gear’s expertise.
Wi-Gear co-founder Michael Kim is now an iOS Bluetooth engineer at Apple. Wi-Gear as a separate entity is now closed.
At present, all Bluetooth headsets on sale at the Apple Online Store appear to be from manufacturers like Plantronics, Seinnheiser, Jawbone and Motorola.
