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Apple AirPods satisfaction at a remarkable 98% for customers
- dlevine 9y agoI'm curious as to why Airpods have 98% satisfaction rate? I don't have a pair, but it seems like a lot of people I know who have them feel similarly. Is it because the battery life is good and they connect super easily and stay connected? Or is there some other feature that pushes people over the top?
- nardi 9y agoI don't think it's about "features." I think they're amazing because they do what they're supposed to, and they do it really, really well. I've owned many, many pairs of Bluetooth headphones, and these are the first that consistently just work and I can easily take with me everywhere. A+++ would buy again.
- exelius 9y agoI can see that. I have a pair of Bose QuietComfort 30s and they are great - only downside is that they're too big. I'm worried I would lose the AirPods though.
- jeppebemad 9y agoI've been loving my Beats X wireless in ears. I feel like they've got all the upsides of the AirPods. Including the compactness and "just work" features, but excluding the "might loose them" part. They've been hanging around my neck for months now!
- ROFISH 9y ago> battery life is good and they connect super easily and stay connected? Or is there some other feature that pushes people over the top? Yep, that's pretty much it. That and it's so easy to use: Insert into ear, music starts playing on headphones. Remove them, perhaps to talk to someone, and it stops playing. Put back into ear and it starts playing again. No buttons, no bluetooth settings, no setup screen; it just plain works.
- kemayo 9y agoSpeaking just for myself, it's two things: First, there's that Apple "it just works" whole-package experience. If you're bought into the Apple ecosystem, using macOS and iOS, it's really incredibly seamless and gets rid of all those bluetooth hassles. Plus, as you say, battery life is good enough that I've never personally run up against it. Second, and the part which surprised me to discover after I got mine, it turns out that headphone wires had been subconsciously bothering me. Experiencing earbuds without them is genuinely better in feel, and I find I use earbuds so much more as a result.
- meursault334 9y agoReading this I might actually buy these. I was pretty set against because of the fear of losing them. I've been annoyed on many occasions at not being able to use my lightning headphones with my Macbook Pro while traveling and I can see this being a superior option to any corded headphone solution. I use video chat a lot and using corded Apple headphones with a laptop is definitely awkward.
- kemayo 9y agoI had some worries about losing them, as well. These have proven to be unfounded over the last few months... though I haven't done anything intense while wearing them. In the course of my day to day life walking around, maybe occasional light running through the rain, they've never fallen out. I did try some experimental jumping around and shaking my head wildly after I got them, and they didn't slip out from that. I suspect a lot of this comes down to your ear shape. The fit of the wired EarPods are a decent proxy for how the AirPods will fit. The AirPods are less likely than the EarPods to fall out, because the wires aren't there tugging on them as you move your head, which turns out to be a useful difference.
- tedmiston 9y agoAgree that it's the (1) deep integration into iOS (how much better the experience vs other bluetooth headphones), (2) the battery life (and the whole case design so that they're always charge), and (3) true wireless / no connector cord.
- rhinoceraptor 9y agoI think it's the case that not many people have them. I want to buy a pair but the lead time is still six weeks, and it's been that way for months. At this point I wouldn't expect them to be available in physical stores until July or August at the earliest.
- smnscu 9y agoI don't doubt the ergonomics are amazing, but it's somewhat surprising to me that people are happy with such mediocre audio performance.
- Gaelan 9y agohttps://xkcd.com/841/ https://xkcd.com/841/
- AsyncAwait 9y agoI am too, but most people probably listen to these class of headphones for ages, so they're not even aware/in need of something better. The fact is, the AirPods are like a $25 headphone packed into a $150 wireless case.
- pavel_lishin 9y agoI lose my headphones often enough that I balk at anything about $15. I'd probably be quite happy with the Airpods' quality... ... right until I dropped one onto the subway tracks.
- JustSomeNobody 9y agoVojo rabbits. Or something similar. They really help keep the newer Apple headphones in.
- nikkwong 9y agoNo joke. The fact neither the the old Apple headphones nor the airpods will stay in my ears while running makes both sets no more than a hardly usable alternative to actual earbuds, at least to me.
- mordant 9y agoYou can search Amazon for these soft latex things which help keep Airpods in place.
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- bobsam 9y agoI'm confused, is this a new kind of blogspam?
- Obi_Juan_Kenobi 9y agoIt's 100% an add for Experian services/data. It is interesting that the product is well-received, but obviously the post is light on details and could be a lot better.
- notatoad 9y agoOf course it is, every single post on every company blog is marketing. That's how the internet works.
- pwthornton 9y agoApple AirPods are the real deal. Best new Apple product in years.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- ChildOfChaos 9y agoAirPods are amazing. Best Apple product launch since the original iPhone.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- ksubedi 9y agoPeople are satisfied because they need to justify their purchase. If the airpods costed much less, im sure we would have people complaining about audio quality and other minor issues, but when you pay that much you overlook the little things to justify your purchase.
- pklausler 9y agoOr, maybe they just really work well? I adore mine, and I have no idea what they cost when my wife ordered two sets.
- colept 9y agoI doubt that very much. Having owned Jaybirds Bluebuds and Airpods - I can say that without a doubt the number one selling feature is the convenience. The pairing is seamless. Switching between phone and computer is fast. Most days I forget they're still there until the battery dies and I have to charge them. If it weren't for the price, I would get a second pair. Airpods are just "well done." The audio quality is not exceptional, but everything else marks the definition of the new standard for bluetooth headphones.
- derefr 9y agoApple customers (and I am one) are, as a class, some of the most perfectionistic, whiny-if-it-isn't-just-right people I can name. Consider the new MBP with the touchpad. It cost a lot. People—people who own the thing—routinely call it garbage, just because they lost their Fn keys. I doubt a pair of earbuds is immune from that.
- rkho 9y agoYes, let's jump to conclusions that are thinly veiled in passive-aggressive commentary.
- glhaynes 9y agoNope, I'm actually satisfied. Bought a couple for friends because I liked them so much. They're both satisfied despite having paid $0.
- tedmiston 9y ago> New Experian survey explores consumer satisfaction with AirPods and other voice-first hardware > Conversational user interfaces are now mainstream. I really like my AirPods, but... this is a strange comment to make about them. The Siri integration / audio controls is the most awkward part of using AirPods. Honestly really hoping they revisit in v2.
- reaperhulk 9y agoAgreed. I love my AirPods (they're amazing for when I want quick headphones and care less about sound quality) but they'd be a significantly better product if I could control the volume and go back/forward in songs without Siri.
- MBCook 9y agoI remapped mine from triggering Siri to simply be play/pause. I'm happy with it but I agree I'd like options. It would be nice to be able to trigger Siri once in a while or skip songs or modify volume.
- tedmiston 9y agoAgree. I really just want the same functionality that was there with the click button from the old headphones: volume up/down, play/pause/prev/next.
- MBCook 9y agoYeah. Volume doesn't bother me too much, but I'd love a next track thing. I kind of wish I could setup different things for the left and right AirPod. At least then I could have pause on one and Siri on the other (for most other tasks).
- tomp 9y agoHow did you go prev/next with the old headphones?
- forgotmyacc 9y agohow is it on android? or mac? or windows?
- kemayo 9y agoOn Mac it's magic and seamless, just like with the iPhone. They have a special integration with the volume menubar item, to make them particularly easy to switch to. On Android or Windows... they're bluetooth headphones. Experience is like any other.
- bobsam 9y agoWorks on Android, but you don't get all functions. Samsung has a similar product for Android, check it out.
- MBCook 9y agoI seem to remember those has pretty bad battery life. I've used my AirPods with a Mac that didn't have the latest software (so they were just treated like any other Bluetooth headphones) and something else and they work just fine. You don't get the double tap control (I think) or the auto pause? (not sure) but they sound just as good. If you want really tiny headphones that are easy to charge they'd be a good candidate. But the experience on updated Apple products is amazing.
- bsagdiyev 9y agoDo the comments on this seem a bit weird? See: http://i.imgur.com/AZe6fCF.png http://i.imgur.com/AZe6fCF.png
- MBCook 9y agoIt's hard to say. I have a pair and I really do love them. I've heard a number of people on podcasts I listen to call them their favorite product Apple has released in years. It could be real.
- bsagdiyev 9y agoYeah I definitely won't discount that, it just seemed interesting that they said basically the same thing a minute apart.
- thoughtsimple 9y agoWith a 98% satisfaction rating, I would think that most people who own them are going to say approximately the same things.
- glhaynes 9y agoThey've also been discussed a lot in those terms because of the prevailing narrative of Apple being in a slump or not being able to innovate anymore.
- MBCook 9y agoI've also heard the guys on ATP, rebound, and Gruber use nearly identical language. It would be easy to subconsciously pick up those phrases.
- kreisquadratur 9y agoCryptomnesia.
- pklausler 9y agoMy office has some really noisy people, so I wear my AirPods under a set of big ugly 3M ear protector 30dB earmuffs. Works great!
- meursault334 9y agoThis is a case where these might actually make sense for me. I hadn't thought about the lack of cord making them more usable underneath hearing protection. Any experience with my number one reason not for buying them which is the fear of losing them?
- post_break 9y agoWhy not get the Bose QC35s then? Much longer battery life, tune the world out.
- meursault334 9y agoI haven't liked active noise cancellation in the past. For office work I tried an old Bose quiet comfort (10 years ago) and decided I much preferred Sennheiser HD 280s for isolation. Also I've heard bad things about the microphone.
- mordant 9y agoSennheiser Momentum 2 Wireless ANC is far superior to Bose.
- pklausler 9y agoAll I can say is that I haven't lost mine.
- tedmiston 9y agoInteresting idea. I would really like a nice noise isolation on top of the convenience of AirPods. Any idea if the earmuffs would work with glasses?
- loxias 9y agoLooks like some advanced level trolling to me. The only way I can imagine 98% of a group being satisfied with such a product is some variant of Stockholm syndrome. Some days it feels like the "Next "Great" Apple product will be ... a place where you can work for free, to benefit Apple. And then we'll hear the usual suspects extolling the benefits of that. (warning, audio geek, also wireless protocol geek, and also their damned overpriced P.O.S. don't even fit in my ears >.>)
- primitivesuave 9y agoI can't get the damn things to stay in my ears if I'm doing any physical activity beyond brisk walking. Working out in them is out of the question, so I'm still using my regular bluetooth headphones, and I looked quite comical running to catch the train with both hands over my ears so they wouldn't fall out. I'm surprised only 1 out of every 50 people who bought Airpods are experiencing similar dissatisfaction.
- ForrestN 9y agoMine have never fallen out, even when running or jumping or leaning over. Do apple's wired earbuds fall out of your ears? Seems like this varies by body.
- primitivesuave 9y agoThat's a good point, I hadn't researched into this and it seems like there are solutions out there for ear shapes that don't conform well to Apple headphones. https://appadvice.com/post/airpods-dont-fit/732275 https://appadvice.com/post/airpods-dont-fit/732275
- tedmiston 9y agoThe covers are a cool idea, and I think I'll end up getting the ones that look like Bose tips. That said, the friction that they add by being too bulky to fit in the case makes any of these half-baked at best. The case is such a core part of what differentiates AirPods. Having to keep track of and put on / take off covers all the time sort of kills the magic. IMO it's really a problem Apple should solve, or at least accommodate as opposed to leaving up to a hacky third party solution.
- JustSomeNobody 9y agoSearch Amazon for Vojo rabbits.
- primitivesuave 9y ago
- MBCook 9y agoI'd love to know why they're still being sold at a 6 week delay. Tim Cook is really good at operations stuff, and this isn't like Apple. They certainly know the demand is there by now. Seems like the only possibilities are some sort of part shortage (maybe it's really hard to get those tiny batteries) or a very high defect rate (there were rumors of that around launch). I wonder how long this will last.
- aphextron 9y agoTo any of they naysayers, I'd say survey the competition for AirPods. They are far beyond anything else available in terms of ergonomics and battery life for wireless earbuds. Audio quality is less of an issue in the first place if you're talking about Bluetooth anyways. Audiophiles should stick with wired.
- kemayo 9y agoThey're also, at least as of a month or so ago when I last looked, fairly low-priced for their product category. If you want a "true wireless" headphone (and, from personal experience with these, I find it quite compelling), you're not going to pay much less than Apple's price. I think the cheapest I've seen is $150, and that's lacking the Apple polish.
- Nullabillity 9y agoAnd suddenly Apple's usual marketing strategy makes a whole lot more sense. Price it high enough that nobody who has to care about money would buy it, and make it crappy enough that nobody who cares about quality would buy it. And, apparently, it seems the people who aren't filtered by that will say anything is the second coming of christ as long as it comes in a shiny enough box.
- stcredzero 9y agoAnd suddenly Apple's usual marketing strategy makes a whole lot more sense. Price it high enough that nobody who has to care about money would buy it, and make it crappy enough that nobody who cares about quality would buy it. Turns out that the Beats acquisition was the right move!
- lowtolerance 9y ago$160 for a decent pair of Bluetooth headphones puts the AirPods pretty much right in line with similar products. And while the audio quality isn't the best on the market, it's certainly not "crappy", especially for wireless headphones, and the microphone is the best in its class by miles. Also, the box it comes in is decidedly not shiny. Anyway, I know shitting on Apple is the cool thing to do on tech forums, so great job going for the easy upvote with such a cynical comment - I'm sure you'll reap that sweet karma. But, you're overlooking what makes AirPods such a satisfying product to use: they are incredibly convenient. They're small enough to carry in your watch pocket, and using them is as simple as popping them out of the case and into your ears. Nothing on the market so thoroughly considers the experience of using headphones, and that obviously counts for something.
- eridius 9y ago> make it crappy enough that nobody who cares about quality would buy it. This is a remarkably bizarre thing to say in response to a 98% customer satisfaction rating.
- polotics 9y agoI do not find it bizarre, we are talking about 98% of the customers who actually bought the product, despite its low sound quality.
- nunez 9y agoi belive it. i love love love mine. best purchase of 2016
- burntrelish1273 9y agoI recently evaluated AirPods, Beats x and Bose QC 35. The Bose won in the feature depts, esp. NC and multipoint BT. I don't care what brand it is so long as it works well.