29 ms·

AirPods are now available

244 points by runesoerensen 10y ago

snegu 10y ago
The use case that I'm interested in is being able to have just one bud in my ear (to be able to hear what's going on around me) without the other one dangling. To me, that's worth the money.
- rjvir 10y ago
  I think that might not be possible with AirPods. One of it's features is that it stops playing music when you take out one of the ears.
  - mypalmike 10y ago
    You can buy the fake ear accessory for only another $75.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - snegu 10y ago
    No, it looks like you can listen to just one: "Optical sensors and motion accelerometers work with the W1 chip to automatically control the audio and engage the microphone, giving you the ability to use one or both AirPods."
Justin_K 10y ago
Title should read available in 4 weeks. Hard to call them available when they haven't even shipped from China.
- burke 10y ago
  > ... and in Stores Beginning Next Week So yes, not quite yet, but also not necessarily a full month away.
- OberstKrueger 10y ago
  When they first went up a few hours ago, delivery date was on the 20th or 21st. They're just backordered to January now.
- deleted 10y ago
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annerajb 10y ago
AirPods are now orderable.
rememberlenny 10y ago
Ships January 12th
- jimbokun 10y ago
  Big miss for holiday season, probably won't seem as cool for Christmas 2017.
- FireBeyond 10y ago
  In limited quantities... "AirPods will be shipping in limited quantities at launch and customers are encouraged to check online for updates on availability and estimated delivery dates." That's like "We look like fools. At least get -something- out there".
- manmal 10y ago
  Strange, I ordered after you and got a December 30. Perhaps a different contingent for Europe?
- askafriend 10y ago
  That's because the December shipments sold out in minutes. Contrary to the pessimism in this thread, people really want these.
  - gergles 10y ago
    We have no way of knowing how much people wanted these. Apple could have released 50 of them or 50,000.
jjuhl 10y ago
To me these seem pretty stupid. Major features (to me) of ear-buds with wires and 3.5" jack are: 1) being attached with wires means I don't easily lose them when they slip out of my ear/hand/pocket. 2) the 3.5" jack actually keeps them pretty solidly attached to my phone (again, less risk of losing them). Walking around with two loose tiny objects seems less than ideal - at least to me; I'd lose them within days.
- dzhiurgis 10y ago
  95% of cases when my headphones fall out is when I snag the cable.
  - djrogers 10y ago
    That would be about 5% low for me. I've never had earbuds fall out without the 'help' of a cord...
  - TeMPOraL 10y ago
    OTOH the cable has prevented my phone from hitting the ground many times.
    - mypalmike 10y ago
      You can get a lanyard case if that's the feature you want.
- seiferteric 10y ago
  Headphones have actually saved my phone from falling on the ground many times :)
  - anonred 10y ago
    Using aux cables as a kind of safety harness seems like pretty periphery use-case. Relevant xkcd: https://xkcd.com/1172/ https://xkcd.com/1172/
- 10y ago
FireBeyond 10y ago
There's like a next-level Apple marketing babble on that page: "AirPods introduce an effortless wireless listening experience packed with high-quality audio and long battery life. These magical wireless headphones use advanced technology to reinvent how we listen to music, make phone calls, enjoy TV shows and movies, play games and interact with Siri, providing a wireless audio experience not possible before." Magical. Reinvent. Not possible before. None of these words applies.
- deleted 10y ago
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- rrdharan 10y ago
  Both the magical and reinvent I'll happily concede, but in defense of the "not possible before" I think there's an argument to be made that their pairing UX is so much better as to constitute a whole new experience versus standard bluetooth? [Of course, I say this as someone who has been happily using wireless Jaybird earbuds with a variety of iOS and macOS devices for the past three years without many complaints. I won't be buying the AirPods since pairing problems have not been an issue for me.]
  - piquadrat 10y ago
    I recently bought wireless bluetooth headphones from Sennheiser. The pairing process consisted of holding the phone next to the headphones for a second, done (thanks to NFC). Not sure how you can improve much on that.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - FireBeyond 10y ago
    Bose and others have had combination NFC and Bluetooth pairing for a while now: https://www.bose.com/en_us/support/article/pairing-a-bluetooth-enabled-device-with-nfc-qc35.html https://www.bose.com/en_us/support/article/pairing-a-bluetoo... "Touch the devices and they will pair".
jsatk 10y ago
I truly do not get the hype around this.
- squeaky-clean 10y ago
  Is there hype around this? Not a single person I know is excited about this.
  - JadeNB 10y ago
    > Is there hype around this? Not a single person I know is excited about this. That's probably jsatk's (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13169976 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13169976) point: Apple seems to be trying very hard to generate hype, but there isn't any.
  - dazmax 10y ago
    http://www.loopinsight.com/2016/09/30/survey-suggests-strong-demand-for-apples-airpods-and-some-math/ http://www.loopinsight.com/2016/09/30/survey-suggests-strong...
- nomel 10y ago
  Oh come on, have some fun. We're slowly moving into that future tech world that we saw in movies and dreamt up when we were kids. These are wireless earbuds. My first pair of wireless headphones used IR, took two AA batteries, were huge, heavy, and sounded horrible once you started losing sight of the transmitter! Sure, it's a small step in mass-market technology, but that's the only way tech moves forward for most of the world. It's never really existed before, it's something new! Some of us find advancements in tech exciting, whether it's some incremental advancement in AI, or an incremental advancement for silly earbuds. If you think in terms of small increments, you'll never see, or be impressed with, the big changes that are happening around you.
  - wmeredith 10y ago
    You will find no fun at Hackernews. Only contrarians.
lolive 10y ago
Can we expect a better sound quality, when compared with actual earpods?
- dzhiurgis 10y ago
  Apparently not. Which sucks, because I'd love better quality (dual drivers and all) earpod style headphones. I heard (kek) Amazon Premium has some decent ones, but they don't ship international.
  - manmal 10y ago
    Reviews varied, some claim that they sound better. We'll see.
  - lewisl9029 10y ago
    Yes. I was actually fairly excited to see the Airpod announcement because it might inspire more companies to release wireless earbuds (that don't have to go inside your ear canal and block outside noise)... There are plenty of cheap, great sounding earbuds out there (Head-Fi has a whole 1000+ page thread discussing them: http://www.head-fi.org/t/441400/earbuds-round-up http://www.head-fi.org/t/441400/earbuds-round-up), but literally none of them are wireless. Right now I'm resorting to hacks like using earbuds with removable cables and bluetooth cable replacements like these: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Custom-Made-Wireless-Bluetooth-4-1-Earphone-Upgrade-Cable-Suitable-For-IE8-IE80-SE215-535/32518253149.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Custom-Made-Wireless-Blu...
deleted 10y ago
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bertomartin 10y ago
might be one of the few duds Apple's ever produced. Let's see.
- deleted 10y ago
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AceJohnny2 10y ago
> "No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame." -- Slashdot creator CmdrTaco/Rob Malda about the iPod in 2001. I'm not saying these will have the impact of an iPod, but I am entertained by the amount of naysaying here. For one thing, how often have you fiddled with the knots in your headphone cord? It's frustrating enough to prevent me from using them in situations where I otherwise would.
- pikzen 10y ago
  Less often than I have had my earphones fall out because I was running, or doing anything that requires my head to move a little. AirPods look to be perfectly fine (and extremely expensive for what they bring) if your usage of them is while sitting at your desk.
- phailhaus 10y ago
  Wires are definitely frustrating, but what's worse is losing them entirely. If you're running and they fall out, you're screwed.
  - JadeNB 10y ago
    > If you're running and they fall out, you're screwed. On the other hand, this is a silent failure mode in a good sense: if you lose them, then you'll know instantly (because of no music), so at least have a chance of looking for them nearby.
    - CPLX 10y ago
      Where they will be discovered conveniently ensconced 15 yards below a subway grate. For those of us that live in cities and commute via public transit, having them fall out is probably 70% as problematic as vanishing entirely.
      - vacri 10y ago
        If only they came with some sort of lanyard...
bnastic 10y ago
Ordered, delivery in a week. I have a couple of Bluetooth earphones that are all pretty poor in UX department and not-so-horrible-but-still-subpar in the sound quality department. I am hoping these will prove to be much better in both.
saddestcatever 10y ago
Are now available* *beginning next week.....
DoodleBuggy 10y ago
Very curious how long battery life actually is. Also, will Apple include these within iPhone box to replace the clunky new lightning things?
- snuxoll 10y ago
  You think Apple's going to include a pair of headphones they sell for $160 in the box, when they can provide the super-cheap lightning earpods instead to incentivize you to get so frustrated that you upgrade? Hell, I know I ended up picking up a Jabra Halo Smart because I got so annoyed having to deal with the stupid dongle to use my $10 pair of Sony AS200's and the cheap Chinese Kinivo bluetooth headphones I had had substantially worse audio quality than even these cheap wired ones. I thought about the AirPods, but I'd lose them in a heartbeat. I'm constantly forgetting where the hell I put my headphones as is, at least my Halo Smart is big enough that I can find it easily - if I lost one of the little AirPod's I would end up tearing my house apart looking for the dumb thing.
  - DoodleBuggy 10y ago
    Losing one in particular could be annoying. Does one work when it's pair is missing? Can you buy a single one as a replacement?
    - manmal 10y ago
      Yes they do work alone, iPhone will even switch to mono. About the replacement, don't know yet, but I think Apple support will let ppl buy them individually.
  - spike021 10y ago
    Not that people will do it all the time (I certainly wouldn't) but the charging case thing is there for a reason. Most likely the idea is you keep it somewhere handy (desk, backpack, laptop bag, etc.) and so you put the AirPods in it while not using them. As far as them falling out, like on the subway or something, that'll be the problem.
- 10y ago
skynetv2 10y ago
Why is Apple so obsessed with calling everything "magical". If anyone believes this is magic, they also need to believe Apple employs wizards & witches.
- 794CD01 10y ago
  Not necessarily - they don't specify arcane magic. They could be using divine casters like priests or druids.
- dionidium 10y ago
  They need only believe in a standard definition of the word "magical:" 2 beautiful or delightful in such a way as to seem removed from everyday life: it was a magical evening of pure nostalgia.
- jostmey 10y ago
  Apple just wants to make sure the public understands how little it respects its engineers.
- Fnoord 10y ago
  Because for the less informed customer that is descriptive, and allows those customers to enter the reality distortion field. It is the same with "Air", "Pod", iSomething", and "Pro". Meaningless buzzwords. Then again, every company has their set ("Surface", "ThinkPad", "Yoga", "Zen"). Trust me, it has nothing to do with real yoga or zen. I'll refrain to make a comment on "Pro". Just ignore the buzzwords, insofar that they don't tell you anything about the quality of the product and instead look at price/feature/quality comparisons and make up your own mind.
  - JorgeGT 10y ago
    At least ThinkPads are described according to MIL specifications, not references to alleged witchcraft.
- wmeredith 10y ago
  For most people computers and technology is already magic.
donatj 10y ago
Do they only work with Apple products? Could I use them with an Android phone?
- Alupis 10y ago
  There already is a plethora of wireless earbuds/headphones on the market... and has been that way for years. No need to buy these overpriced ones to get wireless.
  - mikestew 10y ago
    Your comment would be more useful had you answered his question instead of expressing your dislike for the product in question. There are plenty of dissenting comments that you could latch onto to express the latter.
    - deleted 10y ago
      [deleted]
- CardenB 10y ago
  Yes you can use them as normal Bluetooth earbuds with other phones.
mgo 10y ago
I will not buy a phone without a 3.5" jack period. I'm not buying ridiculously expensive wireless headphones that are objectively worse (worse quality than wired alternatives, added hassle of charging them plus much more expensive).
- rstupek 10y ago
  I will not buy a computer without a 5" floppy drive. I will not buy a computer without a 3.5" floppy drive. I will not buy a computer without a CD drive etc. Seems Apple is just always ahead of the crowd in getting rid of things.
  - tribby 10y ago
    this is a false analogy. the CD drive was an improvement on the 3.5" floppy. the 3.5" floppy was an improvement on the 5" floppy. bluetooth is an improvement in form (no more wires), but a downgrade in function as the audio quality is diminished.
    - neotek 10y ago
      I hear people saying this a lot, but I'd be willing to bet that at least 90% of consumers would be incapable of telling the difference between Bluetooth and wired audio in a blind test. Also, given that the vast majority of earbuds people use are sub-$20, I bet the audio quality isn't that great to begin with.
      - tribby 10y ago
        if 90% of consumers are incapable of telling the difference then why would apple use such an expensive DAC in their phone? I can't speak for everyone, but it's a pretty noticeable difference to me especially considering my hearing isn't very good to begin with.
        neotek 10y ago
        Because (a) Apple doesn't like to half-arse things, and (b) Apple knows its consumer base includes people who like to use very expensive headphones.
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grandalf 10y ago
I'm very curious how this product will sell. Considering that I routinely lose or break ear phones and occasionally put them through the clothes washer, I'm very unlikely to invest $150 in a pocket sized pair (I do have some high end cans that i use now and then which are too large to be easily lost or accidentally submerged). As the owner of an iPhone 7, I have encountered some frustration from not being able to charge and listen to headphones at the same time. I realized that if lightning cables were USB, I could just use some sort of hub. But it seems that Apple has declined to offer a splitter, leading to many shoddy attempts for sale on Amazon, most with fewer than three star average ratings. Viewed as an independent gizmo, these are a great idea and will appeal to some people. But viewed as an alternative to the convenience of the 1/8th inch jack on the back of the phone, a lot is left to be desired. The picture of the futuristic woman wearing them evokes the single-ear bluetooth headset, only worn over both ears.
- 2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
  I have a pair of Westones that are slightly more than $150 but have reasonable after market replacement cables. $150 doesn't seem so bad to me but: - Not in ear - No lanyard
brandon272 10y ago
I love wireless headphones. But the main downside to these for me is that it doesn't look like they will improve upon sound quality and sound isolation (or lack thereof) in the traditional wired Apple Ear Pods.
caogecym 10y ago
I won't be superised this product will lead to a absolute failure
kefka 10y ago
This is very much the "Apple" style, and gave me a laugh. http://4dpavshx5ly3quwy2v9yv83i.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/airpodaccessory.jpg http://4dpavshx5ly3quwy2v9yv83i.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-c... Seriously, I have very little to add to this. It's overly expensive wireless earbuds to go alongside a failure of 3.5mm jack.
- fil_a_del_fee_a 10y ago
  I had to stop and think... Concealed where? :)
- zatkin 10y ago
  Removing the audio jack also removes a whole market of products that were taking advantage of the audio jack for non-audio purposes (e.g. the Square dongle). Now that the audio jack is gone, companies like Square will have to pay Apple a licensing fee to use the only available port on the iPhone, and even companies that want to attract consumers of their audio products to be used with iPhones will have to get licensing from Apple as well.
  - throwanem 10y ago
    > Removing the audio jack also removes a whole market of products that were taking advantage of the audio jack for non-audio purposes (e.g. the Square dongle). Except that it doesn't. Yes, you have to use an adapter now, and that's slightly (but only slightly) more clumsy than before, but "Square readers don't work any more!" is a particularly tired piece of FUD, which it would be nice not to see spread around any more by people such as HN participants who really should know better.
    - archagon 10y ago
      OK, how about things like the Apogee Jam[1] and MIDI adaptors? As far as I can tell, there aren't any MFi-certified Lightning splitters that support both data IO and audio out. (Usually it's just audio out + charge — and poor audio at that.) [1]: http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/jam http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/jam
remarkEon 10y ago
These look extraordinarily uncomfortable, especially if I'm supposed to have them in my ears more than usual headphones - or even as long as my current model. If Apple is trying to make an in-ear controller ala Her, I do not see these as something I'll pick up. Curious. Will there be third-party headphones that work here?
- Namidairo 10y ago
  Third party headphones should work just fine, I don't see Apple breaking A2DP just to push their own product. The fancypants features like iCloud sync and inserted ear detection though, I suspect that'll take some manufacturers some reverse engineering or exchanges of money for details.
- djrogers 10y ago
  > Curious. Will there be third-party headphones that work here? 3rd party headphones have always worked with the iPhone - what exactly are you asking?
sumitgt 10y ago
I use one of these cheap ones: https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Headphones-Wireless-Sweatproof-Cancelling/dp/B01HZ9QDY0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1481662711&sr=8-3&keywords=wireless+headphones https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Headphones-Wireless-Sweatpr... For someone who listens to mainly podcasts, I found them to be really really convenient. And the wire between the two pods makes it seem a bit harder to lose compared to AirPods.
Scriptal 10y ago
Why did they not make the charging port USB C? I feel like a lot of this mess with needing a different dongle and special wire for each product would have been less of a big deal if everything they did just moved to USB C all at the same time. Now if you want to charge your air pods with a macbook pro you need a cable to go from usb C to thunderbolt (not included) or an adapter to use the previous-gen-usb to lightening cable it does come with. It feels to me like the different product development teams at Apple didn't communicate with each other at all w.r.t. what ports to use.
- ojkelly 10y ago
  I get the feeling we're going to see lighting on apples mobile devices for a very very long time yet.
  - scarlac 10y ago
    Yes, the official statement during the presentation of the Lightning connector was "for at least the next decade" if I recall correctly.
    - unfamiliar 10y ago
      Wasn't that long before we knew what USB-C would look like though?
- djrogers 10y ago
  > Why did they not make the charging port USB C? Because there are about half a billion potential customers out there who already have phones that charge via lightning?
  - Karunamon 10y ago
    Since when has that ever bothered them? There was the dock connector -> lightning connector switch. There's the ADB -> USB switch back in the day. And now there headphone jack -> wireless thing switch. Apple cares not one whit for obsoleting the stuff you have.
pawelwentpawel 10y ago
Beats X which are wireless too seem to have a cool solution for keeping them close to the user - there is a cable which stays behind the neck. As well, you can magnetically clip them together. And... get them in red - much easier to find! I like the idea of AirPods. Unfortunately, my main concern though is that I will use them two or three times during rush hours in London, bump into a couple people on the tube and they'll be gone.
- achompas 10y ago
  Are BeatsX actually available in red? They're postponed to February, and only black and white are listed as colors.
  - pawelwentpawel 10y ago
    You're right! I own red wired ones which made me completely sure that the new ones will feature this colour too. Too bad.
MrQuincle 10y ago
They should have used the cigarette butt picture: https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-airpods/preview/ https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-airpods/preview/ Regarding specs: + Bluetooth + No cables + 5 hours battery life + Charging case with total 24 hours battery life + Automatically turn off when removing from your ears + Key synchronization via iCloud (makes pairing process simpler - and could make sharing process simpler as well - but is Apple-only) + Peripheral to Apple Watch + Including microphones and double-tap to activate Siri (no direct volume shortcut)
- lostPixels 10y ago
  Now I cant unsee two cigarettes stuffed in to this guys ears.
- hobarrera 10y ago
  > Key synchronization via iCloud (makes pairing process simpler - and could make sharing process simpler as well - but is Apple-only) So you can't actually use these on your [non macOS] laptop? Wow, requiring two pairs of headphones certainly is a huge dis-qualifier.
  - movedx 10y ago
    Who said they couldn't be used with non-Apple devices? The article points out that they can be synced with any other Bluetooth device, because they're Bluetooth.
  - SimpleMinds 10y ago
    I think that's the W1 chip reference - when you have multiple devices signed to one iCloud (mac, iphone, ipad?) you pair with one of them once, then for other devices they are "just there", in list of available devices. You don't need to separately pair with each one. Tiny but useful. Other than that they are normal BT headphones (I believe)
    - MrQuincle 10y ago
      Yes, for Apple Homekit for example the long term keys for bonding are stored online, so this means you can access from a different device without the authentication process. For headphones it doesn't make much of a difference. However, if you're manufacturing more devices that all needs to be setup and shared with multiple people it's a pity that the key deployment is Apple-only. That is, I don't know of an official way to get to the keys to get a seamless experience across vendors.
brentm 10y ago
I thought the public more or less rejected hang from the ear style Bluetooth earphones because they look awkward. I don't think making them white and giving you two is going to fix the perception. Although these may work much better than the old style I am not sure it offsets the reason a lot of people do not like this type of earphone.
- redial 10y ago
  Judging by the outcry for the delay, and the available units immediately selling out, that seem to be a non issue.
antiffan 10y ago
A feature I'd love to see: sync to AirPods. I imagine it won't happen because in some ways it's kind of backwards, but I hate running with my phone, especially because I have a huge 6+. It seems like a simple thing to just want to be able to take some of my music/podcasts with me running, but it's not realistic unless I own a separate iPod shuffle that I then have to deal with. Adding a small amount of memory to AirPods would make this possible and relatively seamless.
- simonjgreen 10y ago
  The Samsung gear earphones do this
- epochwolf 10y ago
  That's what the Apple Watch is for: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204691 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204691
- fro 10y ago
  This is what the Watch is for.
- ciaranm 10y ago
  I'm guessing they want you to use the watch for this. It has at least a gig set aside for music etc.
- prawn 10y ago
  Presumably you would have to sync the iPod Shuffle equivalent as you would the AirPods. Maybe the issue is more with their syncing? (I know I find it annoying.) DHH from 37Signals mentioned on Twitter recently that he has two iPhones - 6+ and a 6. Larger one for around the house, in bed, etc and the other when out and about. It struck me as an almost affordable luxury for some people, if you can endure any syncing hassles.
  - jodrellblank 10y ago
    almost affordable luxury Is it markedly different from having an iPhone for portability and an iPad+4G for around the house?
usaphp 10y ago
A lot of people here seem to be complaining about them falling out of their ears, while non of them actually tried to wear them first. Also everyone is stating things like this "I will use them two or three times during rush hours in London, bump into a couple people". But for me personally - I only use headphones while at my desk and I love current EarPods because unlike many other in-ear headphones they do not create any pressure onto my eardrum, I can wear them all day without any fatigue whatsoever, having a wireless version so I can stand up and walk around often sounds perfect to me. Also the only time when current EarPods are falling out of my ears is when the cable gets pulled or tangled on something, without a cable I don't see how they can fall out easily.
- pjc50 10y ago
  I guess this depends on your ears; I've never had a pair of in-ear phones that don't fall out after 5 minutes.
  - jdc0589 10y ago
    this is a ridiculous suggestion price wise, but check out custom IEMs. They are expensive as hell, but I have no issue spending money on something I use for HOURS every single day. Sound quality is often much much better too.
    - mslev 10y ago
      Shure SE215s. Not all that expensive, but for the price they're an amazing IEM. You can also get a cable that has a mic/remote in it.
      - Tarq0n 10y ago
        Those are regular IEMs. By custom parent comment means ones with a casing made specifically to fit inside your ear. Random example: http://vaiopocket.up.seesaa.net/image/sleek5.jpg http://vaiopocket.up.seesaa.net/image/sleek5.jpg, these can cost 3-4x more than a regular pair.
  - 10y ago
amaks 10y ago
What's the battery life?
- davidsawyer 10y ago
  From the website: >you can listen for 5 hours on a single charge
OliverJones 10y ago
"double-tap" ?? Isn't that jargon used by snipers to describe the use of two rounds of ammo?
- wmeredith 10y ago
  Yes. Do you find it confusing in this scenario? Do you think they mean shoot twice?
johnhenry 10y ago
I don't know the best place to say this... I'm always a little sad whenever Apple announces earphone related technology -- their earphones simply do not fit in my ear; they simply fall out. I wonder if anyone else has the same problem? Or problems with other specific pieces of technology?
- coolsunglasses 10y ago
  I have the same problem, I get the rubber covers for them on amazon.
  - johnhenry 10y ago
    Thanks! I had no idea this was an options... any recommendations?
    - coolsunglasses 10y ago
      I like these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019BREFE4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019BREFE4/ref=oh_aui_deta...
- barumrho 10y ago
  I had the same problem with their earphones, but some reviewers mentioned that AirPods fit much better.
- giarc 10y ago
  I have the exact same problem. They just aren't a great fit. I walk my dogs every night for 1 hour and enjoy listening to podcasts during this time. I tried some Mopow bluetooth earbuds but they weren't any better. I'm considering some large headphones this holiday season. On a lighter note, I live in Canada so for 6 months of the year, my toque holds the Apple earbuds in my ears.
  - broodbucket 10y ago
    Over ear headphones are better for your ears and don't have the issue of falling out. They are bulkier, though, and can get sweaty in summer (in Australia at least, might not have the same issue in Canada)
scythe 10y ago
Why have the stupid white thing hanging down? You don't need it anymore. There used to be a wire coming out of it, but now there's not. They could have made it look like anything, but now it looks like I'm foaming at the ears. Furthermore, why isn't there a better way of attaching these to your ear? I hate shoving a piece of dirty plastic into the innermost part of my ear. It'd be much nicer to have something with that shark-fin rubber piece[1] or the over-ear clip[2]. 1 - http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bose-soundsport-in-ear-headphones/4160271?cm_mmc=google-_-productads-_-Unisex%3ARecreation_Entertainment%3AGadget_Tool-_-5028882&rkg_id=h-051e76a73260aeda4b9fd28f31561c42_t-1481668246&adpos=1o9&creative=57224590673&device=c&network=g&gclid=CJ-8mKyc8tACFc5bfgodKqMMFQ http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bose-soundsport-in-ear-headphone... 2 - http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/powerbeats3-wireless-beats-by-dr-dre-earphones/pid-11809010/pgid-11809406?k_clickid=e60f9f83-52e0-4edc-9768-5ba7961f99f1&cp=usns_kw_nike_null_pla!g!c!nobr!&k_clickid=e60f9f83-52e0-4edc-9768-5ba7961f99f1 http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/powerbeats3-wireless-beats...
RCortex 10y ago
$160...for wireless earbuds + mic. I mean I have the money to throw away but...why. They look ok, kinda odd, but not like call center headsets at least. You could buy a DS for that much right? That's about how much the ps2 slim costed back in the day.
ArlenBales 10y ago
I would like to try these, but the AirPod/EarPod form factor is just painful to my ears. I can never wear them for longer than 30 minutes at a time. Must just be my ear anatomy. On the other hand, Panasonic makes simply the most comfortable earbuds I've ever worn, even for 8+ hour sessions, for $10: http://a.co/4ztIdDw http://a.co/4ztIdDw
gigatexal 10y ago
eh the beats X headphones are the ones I am going to get -- I can't be having these q-tips falling out of my ears
mcintyre1994 10y ago
Has anybody got standard bluetooth headphones and found a way to reliably use them on multiple Apple devices? Mine are usually paired to my phone, and it's just not worth the hassle of unpairing and pairing repeatedly until the Macbook picks them up as unpaired and lets me try to pair with them, which works about half the time. Maybe my Macbook's bluetooth is just broken.. This is kinda disappointing though because I know it'll never get fixed, because why bother when if I just bought headphones from them I wouldn't have the problem?
- codezero 10y ago
  Most I've used (including Jambox) include a built-in "pair" toggle which will cycle them through devices with a single button press.
- computmaxer 10y ago
  I have Bose QC35s and they can be simultaneously connected (not just paired) to two devices at the same time. They can be paired to more, and you can cycle through paired devices with a switch on the headphones or use the iPhone app to select which two devices you want connected. I almost always have both my Macbook Pro an iPhone connected. The switch from listening to music from the laptop to the iPhone (such as when I leave the office and get on the bus) is seamless. Simply stop playing music on the laptop and start playing music on the phone. I highly recommend them.
- Viper007Bond 10y ago
  That's not an Apple issue -- Bluetooth doesn't support that. I've never seen any Bluetooth device that can be paired to multiple devices at one time without having some type of device switcher button.
  - theshrike79 10y ago
    Now you have: http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/accessories/stereo-bluetooth-headset-sbh70/specifications/#tabs http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/accessories/ste... Way under 100 monetary units, IP57 protection, aptX support. Integrates perfectly with iOS (I can see the remaining battery right in the header and dashboard).
erikpukinskis 10y ago
I find this headphone war discussion a bit boring. The AirPods are much more interesting as Apple's first foray into augmented reality. If they add positioning, this product becomes Magic Leap without the visuals. I don't think they see this as a music device, they see it as a new platform for audio. Interesting things start happening when people start leaving one or both in their ears all day. Arrival times in your ear at the bus stop. Ask Siri for a price check while at the store, etc. A cable to your phone makes the earbuds hard to forget. This makes it easy, but the design details have to be right for you to truly forget they are in. I know "forget they're in" doesn't sound like a groundbreaking feature, because it's not connected to any obvious technical challenge, but I think if they succeed at that it would in fact put these in a new category. Positional audio would seal the deal. You can walk around your kitchen and it would feel like your invisible conversation partner was in the room with you.
- reconbot 10y ago
  Positional audio also opens a world of options for blind people. Microsoft Guide Dogs is working on this very thing. http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/6/7164623/microsoft-3d-sound-headset-guide-dogs http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/6/7164623/microsoft-3d-sound...
- milkshakeyeah 10y ago
  Exactly. Device that will whisper important things into your ear is more elegant solution that weird looking glasses with camera. For now at least. I think they will try to push it as kinda lifestyle or fashion accessory and make wearing one piece as natural as wearing watch or jewellery.
  - kylec 10y ago
    AirPods are also weird looking: https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-airpods/preview/ https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-airpods/preview/
- josu 10y ago
  I don't think so. These are my personal reasons: 1. I would hate to talk to a person with those things in their ears. 2. I use my bluetooth headphones the same way I use my wired headphones. 3. I don't feel comfortable talking out loud to nobody in public. It doesn't feel right to talk the phone, I will probably never talk to the air. I'm not a self conscious person, but I care if people think I'm crazy.
plg 10y ago
still says "ships in 4 weeks" for me (canada) (the article says they will be available in stores, and start shipping, next week)
equalarrow 10y ago
My only problem with these is they're not comfortable. No, I have not worn a pair, but the speaker part is just like the current standard headphones and I've never found those comfortable. I think the pairing and siri integration, etc is all nice though. I still have a $25 pair of Sony earbuds I bought in an airport store years ago. They are comfortable, sound great and have the mic support. Sure, they have the cord which is annoying, but I've tried Shure, Bose and a lot other wired & bluetooth earbuds and none of them sound as good as the Sony pair I have. It's too bad Apple didn't include some kind of silicone adapter for comfort because if they did, I would consider the AirPods. But again, they're just uncomfortable. Oh, and my wife likes her Apple headphones because they let a lot of outside sounds in. That's another reason I don't like the Apple headphones and I have a pair of Beats for noise canceling when I want it. I didn't see anywhere that the AirPods had noise canceling, so you're probably going to hear a lot of background noise when using them.
analog31 10y ago
Startup idea: A string that attaches them to your phone, so you don't lose them.
- deleted 10y ago
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andrei_says_ 10y ago
I feel incredibly satisfied by my decision to never buy them.
blhack 10y ago
Just a quick resources-share (since this is turning into a thread that is complaining about earpods): These headphones (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ELYQJI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ELYQJI/ref=oh_aui_sear...) might be my favorite headphones EVER. The sound is good (at least as good as I've ever heard from earbuds), they're cheap, but most importantly, they TWIST into your ears instead of simply pressing. This emulates what you'll find in really high end, custom-fit earplugs. They absolutely will not fall out unless you PULL them out.
BHSPitMonkey 10y ago
Bose makes a set of noise-canceling earbuds that are marketed for all-day wear, as a general way of filtering out noise. They want you to leave them in during face-to-face conversations (to help isolate the other voices from the background) or train rides (just to silence everything). https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/headphones/earphones/quietcontrol-30.html https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/headphones/earphones/qui...
jarboot 10y ago
I just got some cheap Bluetooth headphones and they changed how I listen to audio. It's so much more immersive and convenient. While these are expensive and may not be popular among the slashdot/hn crowd, Apple knows which way the wind blows.
ben_jones 10y ago
FINALLY. I have exactly $159 burning a hole in my pocket. Thanks Apple!
rconti 10y ago
Not airpods, but I've gotta plug my amazing Bose QC35. I've never owned (or seen the need for) noise-cancelling headphones, never thought I'd use wireless headphones. But the QC35 caught my eye with the built-in mic (probably on a day I had a phone conference). I bought them despite the steep $330 price, and haven't looked back. They're amazingly comfortable, the noise cancelling is best-of-breed, the battery lasts AGES (far beyond the rated 20 hour (!!!) life), the sound quality is epic, they play plenty loud, handle bluetooth handoff better than anything I've used.. I just can't stop talking about them. It seems like just a year or so ago bluetooth was still an impossible-to-pair never-works-right pile of crap, and now it's turned a corner. I've always got my FitBit, Apple Watch, and often my headphones paired to my phone. Everything just works. I can be on a call on my headphones, hop in the car, and the call seamlessly transfers to the audio system in the car (2016 VW Golf). My phone and laptop both play sound through the headphones just fine, it keeps both paired at the same time. And they don't even support whatever high-resolution codec Apple uses (aptx or the other one, I can't remember). But the sound quality has to be heard to be believed, the noise cancelling makes tiny details in the music way more audible than ever before. I'm not in the market for AirPods, but I'm a total believer in wireless headphones now.
- iddqd 10y ago
  I'm returning my pair of Bose QC35 today. The built in mic is terrible to the point I couldn't use it for video conferencing. Had to switch to the mic on my MBP to be intelligible. I haven't figured out if I like the noise cancellation or not. It leaks voices a lot, and when it's quiet there's a very faint constant background noise. Feels like I just replaced one noise with another. It also gives an illusion of a change in pressure in your ears when you put them on, but maybe that's something you get used to. Sound quality is ok at low volume but it's very uninteresting overall. Maybe I've been spoiled by my other headphones. Also, my head is really big, and they aren't really comfortable for me longer than and hour or two. I'll agree that the bluetooth handoff implementation works great though. Overall, if they were < $200 I'd kept them around, but $330 is just to pricey for what you get. I'll be keeping a close eye on this space in the future though. I'm expecting some great innovation in the coming years.
eMumbaBlog 10y ago
Got a pair already. whoot whoot.
josteink 10y ago
> AirPods to deliver high-quality audio and industry-leading battery life in a completely wireless design. AirPods deliver up to five hours of listening time on one charge 5 hours and then I have charge them? That won't even last me a work-day. Count me out.
- iddqd 10y ago
  If you charge for 15 min you get another 3 hours of usage.
- theshrike79 10y ago
  Just put them in the case to charge while you get coffee or go to the shitter and you've got 3 more hours of listening time.
mullsork 10y ago
> Advanced sensors detect when AirPods are in your ear and can automatically play and pause your music. I've been thinking about this for a while now. Whenever I'm asked for directions or something on the train/commute to and from work I wish I could just take my headphones out and they'd be smart enough to instantly pause and rewind the podcast/audiobook a second or two.
- pvdebbe 10y ago
  I don't get why players don't do that -- rewind a second or 10, especially when listening to podcasts or audiobooks. When you resume listening, you have no context at all!
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benwad 10y ago
Honest question: if these become ubiquitous (i.e. the majority of OEMs remove the headphone port on phones and everyone uses some kind of wireless headphones) wouldn't the interference make them unusable in a crowded place? How many channels are available, and is that enough for a whole bus full of people using wireless headphones?
copenbacon 10y ago
I'd really just like a battery that doesn't die after the 4th iOS update

244 points by runesoerensen 10y ago

snegu 10y ago

The use case that I'm interested in is being able to have just one bud in my ear (to be able to hear what's going on around me) without the other one dangling. To me, that's worth the money.

rjvir 10y ago
I think that might not be possible with AirPods. One of it's features is that it stops playing music when you take out one of the ears.
- mypalmike 10y ago
  You can buy the fake ear accessory for only another $75.
- deleted 10y ago
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- snegu 10y ago
  No, it looks like you can listen to just one: "Optical sensors and motion accelerometers work with the W1 chip to automatically control the audio and engage the microphone, giving you the ability to use one or both AirPods."

Justin_K 10y ago

Title should read available in 4 weeks. Hard to call them available when they haven't even shipped from China.

burke 10y ago
> ... and in Stores Beginning Next Week So yes, not quite yet, but also not necessarily a full month away.
OberstKrueger 10y ago
When they first went up a few hours ago, delivery date was on the 20th or 21st. They're just backordered to January now.
deleted 10y ago
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annerajb 10y ago

AirPods are now orderable.

rememberlenny 10y ago

Ships January 12th

jimbokun 10y ago
Big miss for holiday season, probably won't seem as cool for Christmas 2017.
FireBeyond 10y ago
In limited quantities... "AirPods will be shipping in limited quantities at launch and customers are encouraged to check online for updates on availability and estimated delivery dates." That's like "We look like fools. At least get -something- out there".
manmal 10y ago
Strange, I ordered after you and got a December 30. Perhaps a different contingent for Europe?
askafriend 10y ago
That's because the December shipments sold out in minutes. Contrary to the pessimism in this thread, people really want these.
- gergles 10y ago
  We have no way of knowing how much people wanted these. Apple could have released 50 of them or 50,000.

jjuhl 10y ago

To me these seem pretty stupid. Major features (to me) of ear-buds with wires and 3.5" jack are: 1) being attached with wires means I don't easily lose them when they slip out of my ear/hand/pocket. 2) the 3.5" jack actually keeps them pretty solidly attached to my phone (again, less risk of losing them). Walking around with two loose tiny objects seems less than ideal - at least to me; I'd lose them within days.

dzhiurgis 10y ago
95% of cases when my headphones fall out is when I snag the cable.
- djrogers 10y ago
  That would be about 5% low for me. I've never had earbuds fall out without the 'help' of a cord...
- TeMPOraL 10y ago
  OTOH the cable has prevented my phone from hitting the ground many times.
  - mypalmike 10y ago
    You can get a lanyard case if that's the feature you want.
seiferteric 10y ago
Headphones have actually saved my phone from falling on the ground many times :)
- anonred 10y ago
  Using aux cables as a kind of safety harness seems like pretty periphery use-case. Relevant xkcd: https://xkcd.com/1172/ https://xkcd.com/1172/
10y ago

FireBeyond 10y ago

There's like a next-level Apple marketing babble on that page: "AirPods introduce an effortless wireless listening experience packed with high-quality audio and long battery life. These magical wireless headphones use advanced technology to reinvent how we listen to music, make phone calls, enjoy TV shows and movies, play games and interact with Siri, providing a wireless audio experience not possible before." Magical. Reinvent. Not possible before. None of these words applies.

deleted 10y ago
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rrdharan 10y ago
Both the magical and reinvent I'll happily concede, but in defense of the "not possible before" I think there's an argument to be made that their pairing UX is so much better as to constitute a whole new experience versus standard bluetooth? [Of course, I say this as someone who has been happily using wireless Jaybird earbuds with a variety of iOS and macOS devices for the past three years without many complaints. I won't be buying the AirPods since pairing problems have not been an issue for me.]
- piquadrat 10y ago
  I recently bought wireless bluetooth headphones from Sennheiser. The pairing process consisted of holding the phone next to the headphones for a second, done (thanks to NFC). Not sure how you can improve much on that.
- deleted 10y ago
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- FireBeyond 10y ago
  Bose and others have had combination NFC and Bluetooth pairing for a while now: https://www.bose.com/en_us/support/article/pairing-a-bluetooth-enabled-device-with-nfc-qc35.html https://www.bose.com/en_us/support/article/pairing-a-bluetoo... "Touch the devices and they will pair".

jsatk 10y ago

I truly do not get the hype around this.

squeaky-clean 10y ago
Is there hype around this? Not a single person I know is excited about this.
- JadeNB 10y ago
  > Is there hype around this? Not a single person I know is excited about this. That's probably jsatk's (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13169976 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13169976) point: Apple seems to be trying very hard to generate hype, but there isn't any.
- dazmax 10y ago
  http://www.loopinsight.com/2016/09/30/survey-suggests-strong-demand-for-apples-airpods-and-some-math/ http://www.loopinsight.com/2016/09/30/survey-suggests-strong...
nomel 10y ago
Oh come on, have some fun. We're slowly moving into that future tech world that we saw in movies and dreamt up when we were kids. These are wireless earbuds. My first pair of wireless headphones used IR, took two AA batteries, were huge, heavy, and sounded horrible once you started losing sight of the transmitter! Sure, it's a small step in mass-market technology, but that's the only way tech moves forward for most of the world. It's never really existed before, it's something new! Some of us find advancements in tech exciting, whether it's some incremental advancement in AI, or an incremental advancement for silly earbuds. If you think in terms of small increments, you'll never see, or be impressed with, the big changes that are happening around you.
- wmeredith 10y ago
  You will find no fun at Hackernews. Only contrarians.

lolive 10y ago

Can we expect a better sound quality, when compared with actual earpods?

dzhiurgis 10y ago
Apparently not. Which sucks, because I'd love better quality (dual drivers and all) earpod style headphones. I heard (kek) Amazon Premium has some decent ones, but they don't ship international.
- manmal 10y ago
  Reviews varied, some claim that they sound better. We'll see.
- lewisl9029 10y ago
  Yes. I was actually fairly excited to see the Airpod announcement because it might inspire more companies to release wireless earbuds (that don't have to go inside your ear canal and block outside noise)... There are plenty of cheap, great sounding earbuds out there (Head-Fi has a whole 1000+ page thread discussing them: http://www.head-fi.org/t/441400/earbuds-round-up http://www.head-fi.org/t/441400/earbuds-round-up), but literally none of them are wireless. Right now I'm resorting to hacks like using earbuds with removable cables and bluetooth cable replacements like these: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Custom-Made-Wireless-Bluetooth-4-1-Earphone-Upgrade-Cable-Suitable-For-IE8-IE80-SE215-535/32518253149.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Custom-Made-Wireless-Blu...

deleted 10y ago

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bertomartin 10y ago

might be one of the few duds Apple's ever produced. Let's see.

deleted 10y ago
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AceJohnny2 10y ago

> "No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame." -- Slashdot creator CmdrTaco/Rob Malda about the iPod in 2001. I'm not saying these will have the impact of an iPod, but I am entertained by the amount of naysaying here. For one thing, how often have you fiddled with the knots in your headphone cord? It's frustrating enough to prevent me from using them in situations where I otherwise would.

pikzen 10y ago
Less often than I have had my earphones fall out because I was running, or doing anything that requires my head to move a little. AirPods look to be perfectly fine (and extremely expensive for what they bring) if your usage of them is while sitting at your desk.
phailhaus 10y ago
Wires are definitely frustrating, but what's worse is losing them entirely. If you're running and they fall out, you're screwed.
- JadeNB 10y ago
  > If you're running and they fall out, you're screwed. On the other hand, this is a silent failure mode in a good sense: if you lose them, then you'll know instantly (because of no music), so at least have a chance of looking for them nearby.
  - CPLX 10y ago
    Where they will be discovered conveniently ensconced 15 yards below a subway grate. For those of us that live in cities and commute via public transit, having them fall out is probably 70% as problematic as vanishing entirely.
    - vacri 10y ago
      If only they came with some sort of lanyard...

bnastic 10y ago

Ordered, delivery in a week. I have a couple of Bluetooth earphones that are all pretty poor in UX department and not-so-horrible-but-still-subpar in the sound quality department. I am hoping these will prove to be much better in both.

saddestcatever 10y ago

Are now available* *beginning next week.....

DoodleBuggy 10y ago

Very curious how long battery life actually is. Also, will Apple include these within iPhone box to replace the clunky new lightning things?

snuxoll 10y ago
You think Apple's going to include a pair of headphones they sell for $160 in the box, when they can provide the super-cheap lightning earpods instead to incentivize you to get so frustrated that you upgrade? Hell, I know I ended up picking up a Jabra Halo Smart because I got so annoyed having to deal with the stupid dongle to use my $10 pair of Sony AS200's and the cheap Chinese Kinivo bluetooth headphones I had had substantially worse audio quality than even these cheap wired ones. I thought about the AirPods, but I'd lose them in a heartbeat. I'm constantly forgetting where the hell I put my headphones as is, at least my Halo Smart is big enough that I can find it easily - if I lost one of the little AirPod's I would end up tearing my house apart looking for the dumb thing.
- DoodleBuggy 10y ago
  Losing one in particular could be annoying. Does one work when it's pair is missing? Can you buy a single one as a replacement?
  - manmal 10y ago
    Yes they do work alone, iPhone will even switch to mono. About the replacement, don't know yet, but I think Apple support will let ppl buy them individually.
- spike021 10y ago
  Not that people will do it all the time (I certainly wouldn't) but the charging case thing is there for a reason. Most likely the idea is you keep it somewhere handy (desk, backpack, laptop bag, etc.) and so you put the AirPods in it while not using them. As far as them falling out, like on the subway or something, that'll be the problem.
10y ago

skynetv2 10y ago

Why is Apple so obsessed with calling everything "magical". If anyone believes this is magic, they also need to believe Apple employs wizards & witches.

794CD01 10y ago
Not necessarily - they don't specify arcane magic. They could be using divine casters like priests or druids.
dionidium 10y ago
They need only believe in a standard definition of the word "magical:" 2 beautiful or delightful in such a way as to seem removed from everyday life: it was a magical evening of pure nostalgia.
jostmey 10y ago
Apple just wants to make sure the public understands how little it respects its engineers.
Fnoord 10y ago
Because for the less informed customer that is descriptive, and allows those customers to enter the reality distortion field. It is the same with "Air", "Pod", iSomething", and "Pro". Meaningless buzzwords. Then again, every company has their set ("Surface", "ThinkPad", "Yoga", "Zen"). Trust me, it has nothing to do with real yoga or zen. I'll refrain to make a comment on "Pro". Just ignore the buzzwords, insofar that they don't tell you anything about the quality of the product and instead look at price/feature/quality comparisons and make up your own mind.
- JorgeGT 10y ago
  At least ThinkPads are described according to MIL specifications, not references to alleged witchcraft.
wmeredith 10y ago
For most people computers and technology is already magic.

donatj 10y ago

Do they only work with Apple products? Could I use them with an Android phone?

Alupis 10y ago
There already is a plethora of wireless earbuds/headphones on the market... and has been that way for years. No need to buy these overpriced ones to get wireless.
- mikestew 10y ago
  Your comment would be more useful had you answered his question instead of expressing your dislike for the product in question. There are plenty of dissenting comments that you could latch onto to express the latter.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
CardenB 10y ago
Yes you can use them as normal Bluetooth earbuds with other phones.

mgo 10y ago

I will not buy a phone without a 3.5" jack period. I'm not buying ridiculously expensive wireless headphones that are objectively worse (worse quality than wired alternatives, added hassle of charging them plus much more expensive).

rstupek 10y ago
I will not buy a computer without a 5" floppy drive. I will not buy a computer without a 3.5" floppy drive. I will not buy a computer without a CD drive etc. Seems Apple is just always ahead of the crowd in getting rid of things.
- tribby 10y ago
  this is a false analogy. the CD drive was an improvement on the 3.5" floppy. the 3.5" floppy was an improvement on the 5" floppy. bluetooth is an improvement in form (no more wires), but a downgrade in function as the audio quality is diminished.
  - neotek 10y ago
    I hear people saying this a lot, but I'd be willing to bet that at least 90% of consumers would be incapable of telling the difference between Bluetooth and wired audio in a blind test. Also, given that the vast majority of earbuds people use are sub-$20, I bet the audio quality isn't that great to begin with.
    - tribby 10y ago
      if 90% of consumers are incapable of telling the difference then why would apple use such an expensive DAC in their phone? I can't speak for everyone, but it's a pretty noticeable difference to me especially considering my hearing isn't very good to begin with.
      - neotek 10y ago
        Because (a) Apple doesn't like to half-arse things, and (b) Apple knows its consumer base includes people who like to use very expensive headphones.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

grandalf 10y ago

I'm very curious how this product will sell. Considering that I routinely lose or break ear phones and occasionally put them through the clothes washer, I'm very unlikely to invest $150 in a pocket sized pair (I do have some high end cans that i use now and then which are too large to be easily lost or accidentally submerged). As the owner of an iPhone 7, I have encountered some frustration from not being able to charge and listen to headphones at the same time. I realized that if lightning cables were USB, I could just use some sort of hub. But it seems that Apple has declined to offer a splitter, leading to many shoddy attempts for sale on Amazon, most with fewer than three star average ratings. Viewed as an independent gizmo, these are a great idea and will appeal to some people. But viewed as an alternative to the convenience of the 1/8th inch jack on the back of the phone, a lot is left to be desired. The picture of the futuristic woman wearing them evokes the single-ear bluetooth headset, only worn over both ears.

2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
I have a pair of Westones that are slightly more than $150 but have reasonable after market replacement cables. $150 doesn't seem so bad to me but: - Not in ear - No lanyard

brandon272 10y ago

I love wireless headphones. But the main downside to these for me is that it doesn't look like they will improve upon sound quality and sound isolation (or lack thereof) in the traditional wired Apple Ear Pods.

caogecym 10y ago

I won't be superised this product will lead to a absolute failure

kefka 10y ago

This is very much the "Apple" style, and gave me a laugh. http://4dpavshx5ly3quwy2v9yv83i.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/airpodaccessory.jpg http://4dpavshx5ly3quwy2v9yv83i.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-c... Seriously, I have very little to add to this. It's overly expensive wireless earbuds to go alongside a failure of 3.5mm jack.

fil_a_del_fee_a 10y ago
I had to stop and think... Concealed where? :)
zatkin 10y ago
Removing the audio jack also removes a whole market of products that were taking advantage of the audio jack for non-audio purposes (e.g. the Square dongle). Now that the audio jack is gone, companies like Square will have to pay Apple a licensing fee to use the only available port on the iPhone, and even companies that want to attract consumers of their audio products to be used with iPhones will have to get licensing from Apple as well.
- throwanem 10y ago
  > Removing the audio jack also removes a whole market of products that were taking advantage of the audio jack for non-audio purposes (e.g. the Square dongle). Except that it doesn't. Yes, you have to use an adapter now, and that's slightly (but only slightly) more clumsy than before, but "Square readers don't work any more!" is a particularly tired piece of FUD, which it would be nice not to see spread around any more by people such as HN participants who really should know better.
  - archagon 10y ago
    OK, how about things like the Apogee Jam[1] and MIDI adaptors? As far as I can tell, there aren't any MFi-certified Lightning splitters that support both data IO and audio out. (Usually it's just audio out + charge — and poor audio at that.) [1]: http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/jam http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/jam

remarkEon 10y ago

These look extraordinarily uncomfortable, especially if I'm supposed to have them in my ears more than usual headphones - or even as long as my current model. If Apple is trying to make an in-ear controller ala Her, I do not see these as something I'll pick up. Curious. Will there be third-party headphones that work here?

Namidairo 10y ago
Third party headphones should work just fine, I don't see Apple breaking A2DP just to push their own product. The fancypants features like iCloud sync and inserted ear detection though, I suspect that'll take some manufacturers some reverse engineering or exchanges of money for details.
djrogers 10y ago
> Curious. Will there be third-party headphones that work here? 3rd party headphones have always worked with the iPhone - what exactly are you asking?

sumitgt 10y ago

I use one of these cheap ones: https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Headphones-Wireless-Sweatproof-Cancelling/dp/B01HZ9QDY0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1481662711&sr=8-3&keywords=wireless+headphones https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Headphones-Wireless-Sweatpr... For someone who listens to mainly podcasts, I found them to be really really convenient. And the wire between the two pods makes it seem a bit harder to lose compared to AirPods.

Scriptal 10y ago

Why did they not make the charging port USB C? I feel like a lot of this mess with needing a different dongle and special wire for each product would have been less of a big deal if everything they did just moved to USB C all at the same time. Now if you want to charge your air pods with a macbook pro you need a cable to go from usb C to thunderbolt (not included) or an adapter to use the previous-gen-usb to lightening cable it does come with. It feels to me like the different product development teams at Apple didn't communicate with each other at all w.r.t. what ports to use.

ojkelly 10y ago
I get the feeling we're going to see lighting on apples mobile devices for a very very long time yet.
- scarlac 10y ago
  Yes, the official statement during the presentation of the Lightning connector was "for at least the next decade" if I recall correctly.
  - unfamiliar 10y ago
    Wasn't that long before we knew what USB-C would look like though?
djrogers 10y ago
> Why did they not make the charging port USB C? Because there are about half a billion potential customers out there who already have phones that charge via lightning?
- Karunamon 10y ago
  Since when has that ever bothered them? There was the dock connector -> lightning connector switch. There's the ADB -> USB switch back in the day. And now there headphone jack -> wireless thing switch. Apple cares not one whit for obsoleting the stuff you have.

pawelwentpawel 10y ago

Beats X which are wireless too seem to have a cool solution for keeping them close to the user - there is a cable which stays behind the neck. As well, you can magnetically clip them together. And... get them in red - much easier to find! I like the idea of AirPods. Unfortunately, my main concern though is that I will use them two or three times during rush hours in London, bump into a couple people on the tube and they'll be gone.

achompas 10y ago
Are BeatsX actually available in red? They're postponed to February, and only black and white are listed as colors.
- pawelwentpawel 10y ago
  You're right! I own red wired ones which made me completely sure that the new ones will feature this colour too. Too bad.

MrQuincle 10y ago

They should have used the cigarette butt picture: https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-airpods/preview/ https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-airpods/preview/ Regarding specs: + Bluetooth + No cables + 5 hours battery life + Charging case with total 24 hours battery life + Automatically turn off when removing from your ears + Key synchronization via iCloud (makes pairing process simpler - and could make sharing process simpler as well - but is Apple-only) + Peripheral to Apple Watch + Including microphones and double-tap to activate Siri (no direct volume shortcut)

lostPixels 10y ago
Now I cant unsee two cigarettes stuffed in to this guys ears.
hobarrera 10y ago
> Key synchronization via iCloud (makes pairing process simpler - and could make sharing process simpler as well - but is Apple-only) So you can't actually use these on your [non macOS] laptop? Wow, requiring two pairs of headphones certainly is a huge dis-qualifier.
- movedx 10y ago
  Who said they couldn't be used with non-Apple devices? The article points out that they can be synced with any other Bluetooth device, because they're Bluetooth.
- SimpleMinds 10y ago
  I think that's the W1 chip reference - when you have multiple devices signed to one iCloud (mac, iphone, ipad?) you pair with one of them once, then for other devices they are "just there", in list of available devices. You don't need to separately pair with each one. Tiny but useful. Other than that they are normal BT headphones (I believe)
  - MrQuincle 10y ago
    Yes, for Apple Homekit for example the long term keys for bonding are stored online, so this means you can access from a different device without the authentication process. For headphones it doesn't make much of a difference. However, if you're manufacturing more devices that all needs to be setup and shared with multiple people it's a pity that the key deployment is Apple-only. That is, I don't know of an official way to get to the keys to get a seamless experience across vendors.

brentm 10y ago

I thought the public more or less rejected hang from the ear style Bluetooth earphones because they look awkward. I don't think making them white and giving you two is going to fix the perception. Although these may work much better than the old style I am not sure it offsets the reason a lot of people do not like this type of earphone.

redial 10y ago
Judging by the outcry for the delay, and the available units immediately selling out, that seem to be a non issue.

antiffan 10y ago

A feature I'd love to see: sync to AirPods. I imagine it won't happen because in some ways it's kind of backwards, but I hate running with my phone, especially because I have a huge 6+. It seems like a simple thing to just want to be able to take some of my music/podcasts with me running, but it's not realistic unless I own a separate iPod shuffle that I then have to deal with. Adding a small amount of memory to AirPods would make this possible and relatively seamless.

simonjgreen 10y ago
The Samsung gear earphones do this
epochwolf 10y ago
That's what the Apple Watch is for: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204691 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204691
fro 10y ago
This is what the Watch is for.
ciaranm 10y ago
I'm guessing they want you to use the watch for this. It has at least a gig set aside for music etc.
prawn 10y ago
Presumably you would have to sync the iPod Shuffle equivalent as you would the AirPods. Maybe the issue is more with their syncing? (I know I find it annoying.) DHH from 37Signals mentioned on Twitter recently that he has two iPhones - 6+ and a 6. Larger one for around the house, in bed, etc and the other when out and about. It struck me as an almost affordable luxury for some people, if you can endure any syncing hassles.
- jodrellblank 10y ago
  almost affordable luxury Is it markedly different from having an iPhone for portability and an iPad+4G for around the house?

usaphp 10y ago

A lot of people here seem to be complaining about them falling out of their ears, while non of them actually tried to wear them first. Also everyone is stating things like this "I will use them two or three times during rush hours in London, bump into a couple people". But for me personally - I only use headphones while at my desk and I love current EarPods because unlike many other in-ear headphones they do not create any pressure onto my eardrum, I can wear them all day without any fatigue whatsoever, having a wireless version so I can stand up and walk around often sounds perfect to me. Also the only time when current EarPods are falling out of my ears is when the cable gets pulled or tangled on something, without a cable I don't see how they can fall out easily.

pjc50 10y ago
I guess this depends on your ears; I've never had a pair of in-ear phones that don't fall out after 5 minutes.
- jdc0589 10y ago
  this is a ridiculous suggestion price wise, but check out custom IEMs. They are expensive as hell, but I have no issue spending money on something I use for HOURS every single day. Sound quality is often much much better too.
  - mslev 10y ago
    Shure SE215s. Not all that expensive, but for the price they're an amazing IEM. You can also get a cable that has a mic/remote in it.
    - Tarq0n 10y ago
      Those are regular IEMs. By custom parent comment means ones with a casing made specifically to fit inside your ear. Random example: http://vaiopocket.up.seesaa.net/image/sleek5.jpg http://vaiopocket.up.seesaa.net/image/sleek5.jpg, these can cost 3-4x more than a regular pair.
- 10y ago

amaks 10y ago

What's the battery life?

davidsawyer 10y ago
From the website: >you can listen for 5 hours on a single charge

OliverJones 10y ago

"double-tap" ?? Isn't that jargon used by snipers to describe the use of two rounds of ammo?

wmeredith 10y ago
Yes. Do you find it confusing in this scenario? Do you think they mean shoot twice?

johnhenry 10y ago

I don't know the best place to say this... I'm always a little sad whenever Apple announces earphone related technology -- their earphones simply do not fit in my ear; they simply fall out. I wonder if anyone else has the same problem? Or problems with other specific pieces of technology?

coolsunglasses 10y ago
I have the same problem, I get the rubber covers for them on amazon.
- johnhenry 10y ago
  Thanks! I had no idea this was an options... any recommendations?
  - coolsunglasses 10y ago
    I like these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019BREFE4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019BREFE4/ref=oh_aui_deta...
barumrho 10y ago
I had the same problem with their earphones, but some reviewers mentioned that AirPods fit much better.
giarc 10y ago
I have the exact same problem. They just aren't a great fit. I walk my dogs every night for 1 hour and enjoy listening to podcasts during this time. I tried some Mopow bluetooth earbuds but they weren't any better. I'm considering some large headphones this holiday season. On a lighter note, I live in Canada so for 6 months of the year, my toque holds the Apple earbuds in my ears.
- broodbucket 10y ago
  Over ear headphones are better for your ears and don't have the issue of falling out. They are bulkier, though, and can get sweaty in summer (in Australia at least, might not have the same issue in Canada)

scythe 10y ago

Why have the stupid white thing hanging down? You don't need it anymore. There used to be a wire coming out of it, but now there's not. They could have made it look like anything, but now it looks like I'm foaming at the ears. Furthermore, why isn't there a better way of attaching these to your ear? I hate shoving a piece of dirty plastic into the innermost part of my ear. It'd be much nicer to have something with that shark-fin rubber piece[1] or the over-ear clip[2]. 1 - http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bose-soundsport-in-ear-headphones/4160271?cm_mmc=google-_-productads-_-Unisex%3ARecreation_Entertainment%3AGadget_Tool-_-5028882&rkg_id=h-051e76a73260aeda4b9fd28f31561c42_t-1481668246&adpos=1o9&creative=57224590673&device=c&network=g&gclid=CJ-8mKyc8tACFc5bfgodKqMMFQ http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bose-soundsport-in-ear-headphone... 2 - http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/powerbeats3-wireless-beats-by-dr-dre-earphones/pid-11809010/pgid-11809406?k_clickid=e60f9f83-52e0-4edc-9768-5ba7961f99f1&cp=usns_kw_nike_null_pla!g!c!nobr!&k_clickid=e60f9f83-52e0-4edc-9768-5ba7961f99f1 http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/powerbeats3-wireless-beats...

RCortex 10y ago

$160...for wireless earbuds + mic. I mean I have the money to throw away but...why. They look ok, kinda odd, but not like call center headsets at least. You could buy a DS for that much right? That's about how much the ps2 slim costed back in the day.

ArlenBales 10y ago

I would like to try these, but the AirPod/EarPod form factor is just painful to my ears. I can never wear them for longer than 30 minutes at a time. Must just be my ear anatomy. On the other hand, Panasonic makes simply the most comfortable earbuds I've ever worn, even for 8+ hour sessions, for $10: http://a.co/4ztIdDw http://a.co/4ztIdDw

gigatexal 10y ago

eh the beats X headphones are the ones I am going to get -- I can't be having these q-tips falling out of my ears

mcintyre1994 10y ago

Has anybody got standard bluetooth headphones and found a way to reliably use them on multiple Apple devices? Mine are usually paired to my phone, and it's just not worth the hassle of unpairing and pairing repeatedly until the Macbook picks them up as unpaired and lets me try to pair with them, which works about half the time. Maybe my Macbook's bluetooth is just broken.. This is kinda disappointing though because I know it'll never get fixed, because why bother when if I just bought headphones from them I wouldn't have the problem?

codezero 10y ago
Most I've used (including Jambox) include a built-in "pair" toggle which will cycle them through devices with a single button press.
computmaxer 10y ago
I have Bose QC35s and they can be simultaneously connected (not just paired) to two devices at the same time. They can be paired to more, and you can cycle through paired devices with a switch on the headphones or use the iPhone app to select which two devices you want connected. I almost always have both my Macbook Pro an iPhone connected. The switch from listening to music from the laptop to the iPhone (such as when I leave the office and get on the bus) is seamless. Simply stop playing music on the laptop and start playing music on the phone. I highly recommend them.
Viper007Bond 10y ago
That's not an Apple issue -- Bluetooth doesn't support that. I've never seen any Bluetooth device that can be paired to multiple devices at one time without having some type of device switcher button.
- theshrike79 10y ago
  Now you have: http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/accessories/stereo-bluetooth-headset-sbh70/specifications/#tabs http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/accessories/ste... Way under 100 monetary units, IP57 protection, aptX support. Integrates perfectly with iOS (I can see the remaining battery right in the header and dashboard).

erikpukinskis 10y ago

I find this headphone war discussion a bit boring. The AirPods are much more interesting as Apple's first foray into augmented reality. If they add positioning, this product becomes Magic Leap without the visuals. I don't think they see this as a music device, they see it as a new platform for audio. Interesting things start happening when people start leaving one or both in their ears all day. Arrival times in your ear at the bus stop. Ask Siri for a price check while at the store, etc. A cable to your phone makes the earbuds hard to forget. This makes it easy, but the design details have to be right for you to truly forget they are in. I know "forget they're in" doesn't sound like a groundbreaking feature, because it's not connected to any obvious technical challenge, but I think if they succeed at that it would in fact put these in a new category. Positional audio would seal the deal. You can walk around your kitchen and it would feel like your invisible conversation partner was in the room with you.

reconbot 10y ago
Positional audio also opens a world of options for blind people. Microsoft Guide Dogs is working on this very thing. http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/6/7164623/microsoft-3d-sound-headset-guide-dogs http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/6/7164623/microsoft-3d-sound...
milkshakeyeah 10y ago
Exactly. Device that will whisper important things into your ear is more elegant solution that weird looking glasses with camera. For now at least. I think they will try to push it as kinda lifestyle or fashion accessory and make wearing one piece as natural as wearing watch or jewellery.
- kylec 10y ago
  AirPods are also weird looking: https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-airpods/preview/ https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-airpods/preview/
josu 10y ago
I don't think so. These are my personal reasons: 1. I would hate to talk to a person with those things in their ears. 2. I use my bluetooth headphones the same way I use my wired headphones. 3. I don't feel comfortable talking out loud to nobody in public. It doesn't feel right to talk the phone, I will probably never talk to the air. I'm not a self conscious person, but I care if people think I'm crazy.

plg 10y ago

still says "ships in 4 weeks" for me (canada) (the article says they will be available in stores, and start shipping, next week)

equalarrow 10y ago

My only problem with these is they're not comfortable. No, I have not worn a pair, but the speaker part is just like the current standard headphones and I've never found those comfortable. I think the pairing and siri integration, etc is all nice though. I still have a $25 pair of Sony earbuds I bought in an airport store years ago. They are comfortable, sound great and have the mic support. Sure, they have the cord which is annoying, but I've tried Shure, Bose and a lot other wired & bluetooth earbuds and none of them sound as good as the Sony pair I have. It's too bad Apple didn't include some kind of silicone adapter for comfort because if they did, I would consider the AirPods. But again, they're just uncomfortable. Oh, and my wife likes her Apple headphones because they let a lot of outside sounds in. That's another reason I don't like the Apple headphones and I have a pair of Beats for noise canceling when I want it. I didn't see anywhere that the AirPods had noise canceling, so you're probably going to hear a lot of background noise when using them.

analog31 10y ago

Startup idea: A string that attaches them to your phone, so you don't lose them.

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andrei_says_ 10y ago

I feel incredibly satisfied by my decision to never buy them.

blhack 10y ago

Just a quick resources-share (since this is turning into a thread that is complaining about earpods): These headphones (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ELYQJI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ELYQJI/ref=oh_aui_sear...) might be my favorite headphones EVER. The sound is good (at least as good as I've ever heard from earbuds), they're cheap, but most importantly, they TWIST into your ears instead of simply pressing. This emulates what you'll find in really high end, custom-fit earplugs. They absolutely will not fall out unless you PULL them out.

BHSPitMonkey 10y ago

Bose makes a set of noise-canceling earbuds that are marketed for all-day wear, as a general way of filtering out noise. They want you to leave them in during face-to-face conversations (to help isolate the other voices from the background) or train rides (just to silence everything). https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/headphones/earphones/quietcontrol-30.html https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/headphones/earphones/qui...

jarboot 10y ago

I just got some cheap Bluetooth headphones and they changed how I listen to audio. It's so much more immersive and convenient. While these are expensive and may not be popular among the slashdot/hn crowd, Apple knows which way the wind blows.

ben_jones 10y ago

FINALLY. I have exactly $159 burning a hole in my pocket. Thanks Apple!

rconti 10y ago

Not airpods, but I've gotta plug my amazing Bose QC35. I've never owned (or seen the need for) noise-cancelling headphones, never thought I'd use wireless headphones. But the QC35 caught my eye with the built-in mic (probably on a day I had a phone conference). I bought them despite the steep $330 price, and haven't looked back. They're amazingly comfortable, the noise cancelling is best-of-breed, the battery lasts AGES (far beyond the rated 20 hour (!!!) life), the sound quality is epic, they play plenty loud, handle bluetooth handoff better than anything I've used.. I just can't stop talking about them. It seems like just a year or so ago bluetooth was still an impossible-to-pair never-works-right pile of crap, and now it's turned a corner. I've always got my FitBit, Apple Watch, and often my headphones paired to my phone. Everything just works. I can be on a call on my headphones, hop in the car, and the call seamlessly transfers to the audio system in the car (2016 VW Golf). My phone and laptop both play sound through the headphones just fine, it keeps both paired at the same time. And they don't even support whatever high-resolution codec Apple uses (aptx or the other one, I can't remember). But the sound quality has to be heard to be believed, the noise cancelling makes tiny details in the music way more audible than ever before. I'm not in the market for AirPods, but I'm a total believer in wireless headphones now.

iddqd 10y ago
I'm returning my pair of Bose QC35 today. The built in mic is terrible to the point I couldn't use it for video conferencing. Had to switch to the mic on my MBP to be intelligible. I haven't figured out if I like the noise cancellation or not. It leaks voices a lot, and when it's quiet there's a very faint constant background noise. Feels like I just replaced one noise with another. It also gives an illusion of a change in pressure in your ears when you put them on, but maybe that's something you get used to. Sound quality is ok at low volume but it's very uninteresting overall. Maybe I've been spoiled by my other headphones. Also, my head is really big, and they aren't really comfortable for me longer than and hour or two. I'll agree that the bluetooth handoff implementation works great though. Overall, if they were < $200 I'd kept them around, but $330 is just to pricey for what you get. I'll be keeping a close eye on this space in the future though. I'm expecting some great innovation in the coming years.

eMumbaBlog 10y ago

Got a pair already. whoot whoot.

josteink 10y ago

> AirPods to deliver high-quality audio and industry-leading battery life in a completely wireless design. AirPods deliver up to five hours of listening time on one charge 5 hours and then I have charge them? That won't even last me a work-day. Count me out.

iddqd 10y ago
If you charge for 15 min you get another 3 hours of usage.
theshrike79 10y ago
Just put them in the case to charge while you get coffee or go to the shitter and you've got 3 more hours of listening time.

mullsork 10y ago

> Advanced sensors detect when AirPods are in your ear and can automatically play and pause your music. I've been thinking about this for a while now. Whenever I'm asked for directions or something on the train/commute to and from work I wish I could just take my headphones out and they'd be smart enough to instantly pause and rewind the podcast/audiobook a second or two.

pvdebbe 10y ago
I don't get why players don't do that -- rewind a second or 10, especially when listening to podcasts or audiobooks. When you resume listening, you have no context at all!

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benwad 10y ago

Honest question: if these become ubiquitous (i.e. the majority of OEMs remove the headphone port on phones and everyone uses some kind of wireless headphones) wouldn't the interference make them unusable in a crowded place? How many channels are available, and is that enough for a whole bus full of people using wireless headphones?

copenbacon 10y ago

I'd really just like a battery that doesn't die after the 4th iOS update