> $549!? ...I don't understand why you would buy these when there are a lot of established professional audio companies offering better sound at a cheaper price

> $549!? ...I don't understand why you would buy these when there are a lot of established professional audio companies offering better sound at a cheaper price. In addition to brand trust which other commenters describe, there is multi-device interoperability within the Apple ecosystem. Pairing with multiple devices is non-trivial and multi-device operation is not as seamless with non-AirPods hearables. This is about extending the AirPods user experience (UX) to an over-the-ears form factor. Bang-for-the-Buck consumers always struggle with Apple positioning. UX is almost always the intangible factor.