Ear buds are an area where some products are incredibly cheap to produce and can be treated like products that wear out (like underwear). They are insubstantia

Ear buds are an area where some products are incredibly cheap to produce and can be treated like products that wear out (like underwear). They are insubstantial and easy to throw out. But there is a cycle where more premium products are made which then get copied and lose value. There will always be some people who want the best, but in a few years time the cheaper alternatives will probably sell more and be treated as disposable. They are fundamentally different products.