Microsoft may be planning to dethrone Apple AirPods with Surface Buds

Get ready for a new challenger in the smart earbud space
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Wireless earbuds have grown exponentially since the arrival of Apple AirPods, and it now appears Microsoft is preparing to join the action.

According to Thurrott, who spoke to sources familiar with the company's plans, the Redmond tech giant is currently working on a pair of buds under the codename 'Morrison' set for release later this year.

Read this: Why smart earbuds are so difficult to build

The earphones would potentially be branded as Surface Buds, following the Surface headphones (shown above) that released last year. The arrival of the pair would mean the company would have both an over-ear and in-ear option for buyers to consider.

Why the codename 'Morrison'? Well, that's not entirely clear. If the 'Joplin' moniker - likely relating to the King of Ragtime, Scott Joplin - of the over-ear Surface headphones project is anything to go by, though, it's safe to assume it relates to Jim Morrison, the lead singer from The Doors.

However, despite some knowledge of the plans, we don't yet know any real details behind the earbuds, and whether they offer anything smart. Cortana integration seems like a certain addition, as it's present on the Surface headphones, though we'd be surprised if there was any smart tracking on board.

We expect to hear more on this over the coming weeks and months - and though we don't yet have a definitive release date, the report from Thurrott suggests we could see the Surface Buds as early as 2019.

Providing there's no hiccups along the way, it would serve as another another big-name rival to AirPods, which currently lead the space. With Samsung already offering its Galaxy Buds, and Amazon reportedly preparing an Alexa hearable of its own, it would seem competition for ears is hotting up.


Microsoft may be planning to dethrone Apple AirPods with Surface Buds

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Conor Allison

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Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.

Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides. 

He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror. 


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