If you were hoping to snag a pair of Apple"s AirPods when they went on sale in October for use with your non-Apple device, think again. The wireless earbuds use a proprietary technology that will make it only compatible with Apple"s current product line.
According to the folks at The Verge, although the AirPods rely on Bluetooth, they also use a proprietary technology that will prevent it from connecting with unsupported devices. The proprietary technology in question is the "Apple W1 chip", which allows the earbuds to detect when they are in your ear, pair automatically and perform all the other impressive features mentioned at the press event.
The AirPods will be on store shelves starting in October and will have a retail price of $159. The wireless earbuds will be compatible with a wide variety of Apple products and will require that the device to be updated to the latest versions of iOS 10, watchOS 3 or macOS Sierra.
Update: Apple has issued a statement to The Verge saying that AirPods will indeed work with non-Apple devices; however, the one-click setup will not work.