The big picture: Apple has quietly stopped selling competing headphones and wireless speakers from rivals Logitech, Bose and Sonos, a recent report from Bloomberg highlights. Odds are, this is an indication that we are about to see Apple unveil some new branded audio gear. With an event rumored to take place on October 13, it could happen very soon.
The publication notes that all headphones and speakers from the aforementioned brands disappeared from Apple's online store at the end of September. Attempts to pinpoint the exact date that the products were pulled using the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine were unsuccessful.
Bloomberg further reports that employees at physical Apple Stores in recent days were instructed to remove products from their shelves.
Apple now exclusively stocks branded products like the AirPods, in addition to offerings from subsidiary Beats.
Investors are already responding to the news as share value in Logitech and Sonos is down 6.52 percent and 5.69 percent in pre-market trading, respectively.
The changes could be an indicator that Apple is nearly ready to unveil new audio products. Rumors suggest Apple is working on a set of over-ear headphones as well as a "mini" version of its HomePod smart speaker that'll arrive with a lower price tag compared to the original.
Making way for branded products isn't a new strategy for Apple. In 2014, the company stopped selling Fitbit wearables to make room for its upcoming Apple Watch.
Image credit Anna Svetlova, jessica.kirsh