Apple's AirPods 'Dominating' Emerging Wireless Earbuds Market, Say Analysts

[EdT]

While the AirPods are absolutely fantastic, very cost-effective compared to other alternatives with only a few flaws...

I think it's unfair to judge this early. Most companies haven't really gotten on the bandwagon yet. Solutions by Samsung & Sony barely have any marketing backing them; and their main competitor is the startup Bragi - that costs double the price and isn't widely known. Beats, Bose, etc. haven't even stepped into the field and B&O only recently announced their wireless buds.

AirPods will be true dominants once economies of scale kick-in and Apple is willing to pack them into each iPhone.

Competitors not having a viable product is not a reason an evaluation of products on the market shouldn't be released. Especially since it's been close to a year that the specifications have been known by those competitors. You can only evaluate products that exist or are very close to being released and sources exist about that product.

A better argument is who did the evaluation and how independent are they? I don't know anything about the NPD Group and don't know how reliable and unbiased their reviews are.

 

[douglasf13]

I'm surprised I've only seen one pair of AirPods on someone here in Portland, where Apple Watches are practically ubiquitous.

 

[djlythium]

In my opinion, one of Apple's BEST INVENTIONS OF ALL TIME FOR THE SPACE (and I've owned ALL of Apple's products).

I am on the phone my developers sometimes 6-10 hours daily. The AirPods are an absolute GODSEND. I can listen in mono (I always have one or the other in) OR stereo at times for isolated, full-attention-needed calls. Battery lasts FOREVER in mono (just swap to a new side and drop the other in charger) and actually is similar in stereo (just drop ONE AT A TIME in the charger for 5-10 minutes when they get low and you are back in business). I always have one or the other in during the day around the office and in the car. I can now tell the difference in all of the audio notifications without bothering others (I get too many different types of notifications to rely on vibrations).

I have also found a renewed musical listening habit since getting AirPods. Whether I am alone and I pop in the INSTANT-CONNECT STEREO by adding a second AirPod -- or -- just let Pandora continue in one ear between calls, etc. the battery life (and charging process noted above) yields ALL DAY MUSIC.

The combination that Apple AirPods provide really pays for a set of Stereo Wireless Headphones with a charge case and a virtually ENDLESS SUPPLY of Mono Wireless headsets for mono phone calls because you can just keep charging them and charging them. I think I went several days on a trip once without any charging to the case and only at the very end did I hit the one time my AirPods case ran out of juice. Only took about 10 minutes on charge and the AirPods themselves were back to near-full capacity.

LOVE THEM!

(And by the way, as I've noted elsewhere, they do not fall out because there is no chord to pull them out. They only fall out when you hit your head or ear on something - and that ALSO hurts your head/ear so it is easy to notice. You also immediately notice if one falls out because the music stops - so roll over and brush your pillow if you've fallen asleep and you notice they come out because the audio stops.)

Totally agree, mate! I tell everyone who asks me about them that they’re easily one of the best devices I’ve ever bought.

 

[Bill Av]

How is the wireless connection in cities? My only complaint with my wireless headphones (and I have four or five - my primary device being the Jaybird X2) is interference. This isn't an issue at home or on the subway, but when I'm in midtown Manhattan the connection becomes interrupted - usually at street intersections. I picture a thousand wireless connections colliding with each other whenever this happens. Does the W1 chip minimize troubles like this?

 

[Madhava]

Has anyone tried using Airpods with iPhone 4s?
I want to buy one for using with it.

 

[Swampthing]

I always have one or the other in during the day around the office and in the car.

Be careful about the car.

In some states it is illegal to wear any type of headphones/earphone device will driving.

 

[webbuzz]

Do they fit any better than the earbuds that come included with every iPhone? Because those just fall out of my ear.

My issue is they are uncomfortable after 10 minutes. Which is why I haven't purchased AirPods.
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Be careful about the car.

In some states it is illegal to wear any type of headphones/earphone device will driving.

Many states have an exception for single ear, or when used as a hands-free device.

 

[miniyou64]

The user experience is not that good

 

[TheAustrianGuy]

No wonder they dominate the market.
Just received mine today

 

[neuropsychguy]

No wonder they dominate the market.
Just received mine today

I ordered mine a month ago and am still waiting. They should show up next week (but haven't shipped yet).

 

[Pezboy]

Fitment is a hit or miss, in my case they fall off almost instantly. Besides sound is subpar and uncomfortable to wear due to hard plastic. They dont seal the ear canal which hampers sound delivery. For that price you can have a more serious, quality earbuds...and im not talking about beats...those are hyped trash.

Whether they are uncomfortable and the plastic is to hard is super subjective. I am one of the lucky majority that they fit perfect. I can literally do cartwheels with them in and they don’t budge. I leave them in at all waking hours and if audio isn’t coming through I almost always forget that they are there. I would say these are apples second greatest product of all time (after iPhone and right above Mac) as for the sound, it isn’t perfect, but the more I use them the more I’m grateful that Apple made the choice that they did. If they had made them to make any type of a seal then they would hamper the usability of the these. I would have to constantly be able to take them out if I wasn’t listening to something because they would hinder my ability to hear the outside world. I have a great pair of over the ear noise canceling headphones for times that I want to block out everything. That’s not what these are for though.

 

[JosephAW]

AirPods should come standard with the iPhone 8.

 

[RadioGaGa1984]

The user experience is not that good

Said someone who has never used them.

 

[Pezboy]

How is the wireless connection in cities? My only complaint with my wireless headphones (and I have four or five - my primary device being the Jaybird X2) is interference. This isn't an issue at home or on the subway, but when I'm in midtown Manhattan the connection becomes interrupted - usually at street intersections. I picture a thousand wireless connections colliding with each other whenever this happens. Does the W1 chip minimize troubles like this?

I haven’t been to NYC with them yet, but I’ve used them at Disney World and other large cities like downtown Chicago and Dallas and have had no issues with interface. On super rare occasions there will be a flicker or two, but it will fix itself almost instantly and that has only happened 2-3 times in the 7 months I’ve owned them.

 

[Hardscan451]

Do they fit any better than the earbuds that come included with every iPhone? Because those just fall out of my ear.

Yes. I have them. Never fell out.

 

[Pezboy]

Airpods Series 2 should be here soon.

Maybe, I tend to think (and hope) that airpods will have a much longer generation cycle though.
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I'm surprised I've only seen one pair of AirPods on someone here in Portland, where Apple Watches are practically ubiquitous.

Yeah, it’s strange. I’ve never seen anyone wear them. I have one friend who got his around the time that I got mine, but other than that nothing. It almost makes me feel like No one is buying them and Apple just is artificially hindering production for media coverage. A day doesn’t go by that someone doesn’t ask me about them, because they have never seen or heard of them. Seems like if they were selling like hot cakes then there would be a much bigger knowledge base of them already. Idk.
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Has anyone tried using Airpods with iPhone 4s?
I want to buy one for using with it.

Lol, maybe think of upgrading your phone first. You can get an iPhone 6s on the cheap now. Especially now in two weeks. Also the W-1 chip doesn’t work with the 4s if I’m not mistaken. So a lot of the appeal of airpods would be lost. Upgrading a 6 year old phone will change your life.

 

[ckhris1613]

Dominating? I have yet to see someone with these running or at a gym.

 

[nvmls]

.

Exactly.. doomed!

 

[lederermc]

Airpods Series 2 should be here soon.

I'm waiting for AirPods Series 7.3

 

[Pezboy]

I love mine. If they had volume control they'd be perfect. Now I need to get wireless iem's and over the ear

Yeah, that’s my only issue too. But if using the Apple Watch (if you have it) is pretty convenient for volume control. Also I’ve found that using Siri for volume control (something I was highly against to begin with) is shockingly useful. It makes me feel like I’m on Star Trek! I just double tap and say “turn volume to 70%” and she does it! Using apples method of “volume up, volume down” is a hassle. But telling her what percent to put it makes it magic again.

 

[BvizioN]

Do they fit any better than the earbuds that come included with every iPhone? Because those just fall out of my ear.

It must be your ears! With me is the opposite, the standard wired ones used to get pulled by wore and fallen of my ears. I have used AirPods since day one and not even once they have fallen off my ears.

 

[Pezboy]

While I love my AirPods, I don't think they offer "frictionless access to Siri". Both my wife and I gave up using Siri with them.

What wasn’t working for you? I use Siri constantly with them and I’d say 90% of the time it works great. “Turn volume to 80%, what’s the weather, directions home, call so-and-so, text so-and-so” idk, it works like a charm for me. I’d be curious if you are using Siri for different things than me

 

[newyorksole]

Do they fit any better than the earbuds that come included with every iPhone? Because those just fall out of my ear.

What most people don't realize is that the reason EarPods fall out of your ears is because there's no weight to them. They are very light and are being pulled by the wires.

AirPods have weight to them because of all the technology in them. They stay in a lot more people's ears because of that.

For some people though the shape of either of them just doesn't cooperate with their ears.

 

[Bazooka-joe]

I love mine. Got them on release day. It sone of the best tech and shows that Apple can innovate.
The sound is better than the standard ear pods, battery life is good and they charge from the case.
They don't fall out of my ears either unlike the ear pods.
I love the way that I can stream and control music on my phone to the AirPods from my watch.
Great value for money too in terms of functionality.
Yeah some people say they look odd but much better having two bits of cord dangling from your ears.......now that does look stupid

 

[BigJayhawk]

The user experience is not that good

Not sure WHAT User Experience you are talking about. Read what the long-time owners say. Additionally in support, Apple has many of the highest-rated in-category products for almost every category they compete in. HOWEVER, none of even Apple's Customer Satisfaction Ratings are as high as they are for the AirPods. For a Gen 1 product, that is a KILLER FACT. Heck, for a Gen ANYTHING product that is remarkable within a company like Apple.