INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Microsoft announced a suite of Surface products earlier in October, and that included a new audio option in the form of the Surface
Earbuds. The earbuds had originally been planned for a 2019 release, but Microsoft chief product officer Panos Panay has just confirmed
their launch is being pushed back globally to Spring 2020 (March through May for the southern hemisphere).Panos announced the delay in a
tweet.A number of Twitter responses to the tweet from Panay are positive about the company's choice to delay the product rather than
launching it in a sub-par state.That being said, it's especially important for Microsoft to make sure it gets the Surface Earbuds right, as
they will come at a launch price of $249 (about £199, AU$360), which is more expensive than almost all of the world's best wireless
earbuds, and just as expensive as the Apple AirPods Pro.Part of what could be holding up the Surface Earbuds is just how much they can be
used for: The dual-microphones on each bud can cancel out background noise while taking calls or talking to a digital assistant
And, the earbuds can handle dictation
They also have a number of touch gestures on the round surface of each bud.All that, and the Surface Earbuds will also be supporting devices
running Windows 10, iOS 9 and later, and Android 4.4 and later
That's a wide array of devices to support numerous features on, and may be part of Microsoft's difficulty in getting everything working just
right.Despite the delay, the Surface Earbuds have a lot going for them
They will have an 8-hour battery life bolstered by an extra two full charges in the carrying case, plus fast charging for an hour of
playtime in 10 minutes and three hours of playtime in 15 minutes.In the time since the Surface Earbuds were announced, Apple released the
That increases the competition the Surface Earbuds will face when they launch, and with this delayed release date potentially pushing them
back as late as June, Microsoft may have even more competition.Via: The Verge
