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Apple really wants to force everyone to buy overpriced AirPods that have a shorter life than EarPods.

Will have to buy a couple extra sets (1 lightning and 1 USB-C) as back up if Apple cancels them as I use them almost every day.
 
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14 years after Apple's EarPods were introduced with the iPhone 5, the company may finally discontinue its $19 wired earbuds.
Oh FFS... This is the best Apple product! I hate all the in-ear-rubbery-junk and love EarPods - they don't block the outside world, they don't tire my ear and they sound (sufficiently) good... :/ I'll have to stockpile it seems...
 
The EarPods already were updated with a USB-C variant and Apple kept the price the same...
doh...there goes the joke

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When Apple introduced AirPods, I decided then that I was not going to buy any additional devices or accessories that required charging. And I have stuck to that. Frankly, I rarely use earpieces with my phone anyway. But the elimination of EarPods will ensure that will never use earpieces going forward.
 
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Everyone is taking a minor status change in one retailer's system way too seriously.

Probably just a minor packaging change necessitating a new SKU at Target. These aren't going anywhere.
This! This is one retailer's status change. A Non-Carry Forward status could mean anything from a packaging change to a new SKU (for example if Apple updates the names because they're discontinuing the Lightning version), or it could just mean Target has decided to not carry EarPods anymore because they weren't selling well but that Apple is still making them. It doesn't automatically mean Apple is discontinuing them.
 
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I use mine for phone calls because my AirPods are crappy for calls (according to my callers).

None of this fading in and out BS.

They last longer now because I use the AirPods for most everything else.
 
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I struggled finding a good headset for Zoom calls at work and people complained about my mic quality with AirPods Pro. Besides, realizing they are not charged mid-call is stressful. It was hard to believe but eventually I “downgraded” to the cheap EarPods with stereo jacks and all my coworkers praise the mic quality now. I won’t swap them for anything! If they are going to discontinue them, then I will buy a few pairs to have until the end of the universe.
 
I still chuckle at people using them for phone calls but still holding their phone up to their mouths like a piece of toast. With the headphones plugged in the mic in the handset doesn't do anything.
 
They're a pointless product at this point. Everyone has AirPods, or counterfeit AirPods. The only people still plugging in headphones are people with very deliberate over-ear headphone choices, or people plugging in old EarPods they found laying around. Apple does not need to sell this as a new product any longer.
 
I still chuckle at people using them for phone calls but still holding their phone up to their mouths like a piece of toast. With the headphones plugged in the mic in the handset doesn't do anything.
Technically not true, its possible to switch to the iPhone microphone. But you shouldn't, because the echo cancellation will be worse, and its doubtful any of the piece of toast people even know how to do that.
 
They're a pointless product at this point. Everyone has AirPods, or counterfeit AirPods. The only people still plugging in headphones are people with very deliberate over-ear headphone choices, or people plugging in old EarPods they found laying around. Apple does not need to sell this as a new product any longer.

This is so wildly inaccurate I have to think you're just posting with this tone to start a fight

Read the comments here and you'll see how widely incorrect your assumptions are

Like -- COMPLETELY wrong
 
My 160GB iPod Classic still works and I my latest Eadpods are tearing near the jack. Guess I'd better grab another pair before they disappear.
 
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Aren’t they mandated by law to bundle some earbuds with the iPhone in France? I remember reading about this some time ago. I wonder how they’ll do that if they discontinue them. Bundle AirPods instead 😋?

Not any more, unfortunately.
 
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That's awful. :(

My 2019 AirPods 2 stopped working a few months ago, and I switched to the lightning EarPods I'd gotten with my 11PM and not touched ever since. I've got backup pairs from the ones my family's gotten over the years and never used. It's a fine experience, and now I won't have to deal with a guarantee of my headphones dying every few years due to degraded batteries. It's sad to see them kill such a useful product off.
AirPods batteries do degrade over time. However, with old fashioned headphone jacks, I'd have to replace them every few months due to poor connections. I threw away countless sets that went bad just becuase the dumb metal connector became unstable. That being said, a set of wired ones comes in handy sometimes. I just think wireless ones seem to last longer. My Airpods 2 from 2018 still work, which is incredible.
 
I still use the 3.5mm EarPods for audio/video calls on my work issued Windows laptop. Any time we use teams/Zoom/Webex those are my go to because of the mic quality, comfort (I know not everyone agrees), and ease of use. I don't want to have to use bluetooth for a 5 minute call. Plus, my work laptop only has one USB-C port and that's used for charging.
I'm hoping that if these are discontinued, it's only for an updated model with a 'better' fit. These are too useful.

Edit: I have a Mac, and it works great with AirPods, I just can't use it for work.
 
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It’s a pity, if true, as EarPods is one of the rare Apple products with a lot of value for the money.

In fact, their neutral sound is rated exactly the same (at 6.8/10) on rtings.com.

And they cost 10 times less, do not need charging, pairing, firmware updates and easily fit any ears.
 
I've noticed that the mic on the EarPods definitely sounds clearer than the AirPods Pro. For that reason, I still use the EarPods on FaceTime calls rather than reaching for the AirPods Pro.
yes, because the wired mic always has better recording quality sound (USB mikes too) than mics on wireless headsets.
 
i have USB-c and Lightining earpods in stock and maybe even 3.5 mm ones (just don't remember). Very convenient. USB-C ones are brand new, bought at Apple Store just few months ago just in case.
 
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