I suspect your colleague was more bemused than shamed by your comparison. Wireless buds are considered a different product category from headphones due to marke

I suspect your colleague was more bemused than shamed by your comparison. Wireless buds are considered a different product category from headphones due to market perception as well as how and when they are used. Some people find Airpods to be nice to use everywhere; those who prefer headphone audio quality use them when convenient.