[cezary]

This is how I see it. There's no mention of Airpods using bluetooth, I'm betting that W1 chip is using a proprietary wireless protocol that keeps other manufacturers from easily/cheaply creating wireless headphones or using these wireless headphones on other devices.

[WillPostForFood]

Apple says they are bluetooth here:

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMEF2AM/A/airpods

[mulmen]

From the Apple webpage: http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMEF2AM/A/airpods

Connections

AirPods: Bluetooth

[SCdF]

Exactly. And then at some point they'll have the "courage" to drop bluetooth as well.