Pioneer Drops AirPlay Speaker Prices, Now Competitive with Bluetooth ModelsAs noted by Macworld, Pioneer has lowered the prices on several of its AirPlay speakers, which have, historically, been offered at a much higher pricing tier than Bluetooth speakers.The company recently dropped the price of its XW-SMA1 speaker from $299 to $149, while the prices of the XW-SMA3 and XW-SMA4 have similarly been cut in half from $399 to $199. (These changes aren't yet reflected on Pioneer's website, where the latter two speakers are still listed at $399.)Macworld spoke to a Pioneer representative, who said that the company is aiming to make its AirPlay speakers price competitive with its Bluetooth models, with the hope that lower prices will help consumers to appreciate AirPlay's advantages. While Bluetooth has been a more affordable option for consumers, AirPlay has a distinct edge, offering a much longer range with the option of utilizing multiple speakers for a complete home audio experience. Traditionally, AirPlay speakers have been priced higher than Bluetooth speakers due to the cost of licensing the technology from Apple. It is unclear if Pioneer is eating the additional cost or if Apple has made AirPlay licensing more affordable, but with Pioneer lowering the price of its AirPlay speakers, it is likely that other manufacturers may have to follow suit in order to continue to offer competitive pricing. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Zynga Shuts Down 'Draw Something' Creator OMGPOP After Spending $200M to Acquire It • New Apple Stores Coming to New Jersey, Utah and Virginia • Google Updates Gmail for iOS with Redesigned Inbox, Improved Notifications • Analyst Still Believes Apple Television Set With 'iRing' Motion Control Coming Late This Year • Google Chrome for iOS Updated with Voice Search, Faster Page Reloading • Plants vs. Zombies 2 to Launch on July 18 For Free • Apple CEO Tim Cook Speaks on Leadership at Duke University • Chicago Sun-Times Fires Photo Staff, Will Train Reporters to Use iPhones For Photos
http://www.macrumors.com/2013/06/04/pioneer-drops-airplay-speaker-prices-now-competitive-with-bluetooth-models/
