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Why weren’t there tons of earbuds that looked like AirPods before the AirPods came out? Two independent things that weren’t linked with a wire that you could pu

by MBCook 3y ago

Why weren’t there tons of earbuds that looked like AirPods before the AirPods came out? Two independent things that weren’t linked with a wire that you could put in a charging case? I seem to remember there was one other similar looking device at the time, I think from Samsung. But it wasn’t as small and got terrible battery life. There was absolutely nothing like them at the time in the category.

AnthonyMouse 3y ago
> Why weren’t there tons of earbuds that looked like AirPods before the AirPods came out? Two independent things that weren’t linked with a wire that you could put in a charging case? Because making them that way is more expensive. > There was absolutely nothing like them at the time in the category. iPhone: There is now a usable internet-connected general-purpose computer in your pocket. AirPods: We got rid of the piece of wire between your earbuds. It's not the same thing.
- JumpCrisscross 3y ago
  > iPhone: There is now a usable internet-connected general-purpose computer in your pocket. AirPods: We got rid of the piece of wire between your earbuds. Most people who have AirPods didn’t have earbuds with the wire. Those who did didn’t wear them like AirPods. The iPhone is a computer in your pocket you interact with through touch. AirPods are computers in your ears you interact with through voice. Especially with LLMs, the latter is a huge step forward. Also, the processing power in an AirPod outclasses Apollo 11’s; if we’re going to go full tech reductionist, it’s still a feat.
  - AnthonyMouse 3y ago
    > the processing power in an AirPod outclasses Apollo 11’s Apollo 11 was in 1969. It had a 2048 KHz processor. The processing power in a Bluetooth headset from the 90s outclasses Apollo 11's. > Most people who have AirPods didn’t have earbuds with the wire. Those who did didn’t wear them like AirPods. Are you really contending that this is a difference of the same magnitude as the iPhone?
    - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
      > Are you really contending that this is a difference of the same magnitude as the iPhone? Yes. Convincing a large fraction of the population to not only adopt a novel computing device, but attach it to their person in a publicly-visible way is something that happens a few times a generation at most.
      - AnthonyMouse 3y ago
        Except that you could say the same thing about the watch. I feel like people are just grasping at straws. The iPhone changed how people communicate, how they buy things, how they access information. AirPods got people to stop complaining that Apple took away the headphone jack. I suspect that might have even been the main reason Apple made them.
        JumpCrisscross 3y ago
        > you could say the same thing about the watch AirPods are far more broadly adopted than the Apple Watch. I’d also argue against the latter having the sense of design finality the AirPods came out of the door with. Similar to the iPhone. > AirPods got people to stop complaining that Apple took away the headphone jack. I suspect that might have even been the main reason Apple made them Doubtful given development timeline and sourcing. It’s more that they arise from a shared vision.

by MBCook 3y ago

AnthonyMouse 3y ago

> Why weren’t there tons of earbuds that looked like AirPods before the AirPods came out? Two independent things that weren’t linked with a wire that you could put in a charging case? Because making them that way is more expensive. > There was absolutely nothing like them at the time in the category. iPhone: There is now a usable internet-connected general-purpose computer in your pocket. AirPods: We got rid of the piece of wire between your earbuds. It's not the same thing.

JumpCrisscross 3y ago
> iPhone: There is now a usable internet-connected general-purpose computer in your pocket. AirPods: We got rid of the piece of wire between your earbuds. Most people who have AirPods didn’t have earbuds with the wire. Those who did didn’t wear them like AirPods. The iPhone is a computer in your pocket you interact with through touch. AirPods are computers in your ears you interact with through voice. Especially with LLMs, the latter is a huge step forward. Also, the processing power in an AirPod outclasses Apollo 11’s; if we’re going to go full tech reductionist, it’s still a feat.
- AnthonyMouse 3y ago
  > the processing power in an AirPod outclasses Apollo 11’s Apollo 11 was in 1969. It had a 2048 KHz processor. The processing power in a Bluetooth headset from the 90s outclasses Apollo 11's. > Most people who have AirPods didn’t have earbuds with the wire. Those who did didn’t wear them like AirPods. Are you really contending that this is a difference of the same magnitude as the iPhone?
  - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
    > Are you really contending that this is a difference of the same magnitude as the iPhone? Yes. Convincing a large fraction of the population to not only adopt a novel computing device, but attach it to their person in a publicly-visible way is something that happens a few times a generation at most.
    - AnthonyMouse 3y ago
      Except that you could say the same thing about the watch. I feel like people are just grasping at straws. The iPhone changed how people communicate, how they buy things, how they access information. AirPods got people to stop complaining that Apple took away the headphone jack. I suspect that might have even been the main reason Apple made them.
      - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
        > you could say the same thing about the watch AirPods are far more broadly adopted than the Apple Watch. I’d also argue against the latter having the sense of design finality the AirPods came out of the door with. Similar to the iPhone. > AirPods got people to stop complaining that Apple took away the headphone jack. I suspect that might have even been the main reason Apple made them Doubtful given development timeline and sourcing. It’s more that they arise from a shared vision.