Apple gets FCC approval for new set of Powerbeats wireless headphones

An Apple FCC listing published today seems to confirm that a new set of Powerbeats may be on the way.

First spotted by Apple Insider, their report states:

Appearing in filings on Thursday, label artwork for a device described as the "Wireless Headset A2015" has surfaced, complete with a diagram showing where regulatory information would be placed on the device. The filing includes a number of elements, including confidentiality letters and RF exposure test results, mandated by FCC regulations.

The filing contains a report on a product titled 'Power Beats Wireless', however, the A2015 product number does not match any existing model of Beats, making it highly likely that these are a new model of Apple's Powerbeats headphones.

According to the FCC website:

An FCC ID is the product ID assigned by the FCC to identify wireless products in the market. The FCC chooses 3 or 5 character "Grantee" codes to identify the business that created the product. For example, the grantee code for FCC ID: BCGA2015 is BCG. The remaining characters of the FCC ID, A2015, are often associated with the product model, but they can be random. These letters are chosen by the applicant. In addition to the application, the FCC also publishes internal images, external images, user manuals, and test results for wireless devices.

The testing shows that the new headphones will operate on Bluetooth 2.4 frequencies, however, the artwork clearly shows that the two earpieces are connected by a cable.

FCC filings are usually confirmation that a product is on the, but a release date remains unclear. Apple's rack-mounted Mac Pro FCC application was published on December 9, the actual product was released four weeks later on January 14.