Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Seems like on a crowded rush hour train, just being jostled only the way New Yorkers can could cause the AirPod fall out.

I’m surprised one doesn’t hear about AirPods being forcibly removed from users’ ears on mass transit.

If I were to lose my airpod down the tracks, the tracks can keep them.
 
Duct tape? A grabber tool with rubber pads? Hey aren't these magnetic? You could pick them up with a metal rod, or maybe a bigger magnet.
 
I'm betting, that close to no one has ever lost a pair of corded earpods in Subway tracks.
 
Last edited:
That is the genius of Apple marketing. They have convinced millions of people that having to charge their headphones, risk losing them, putting up with terrible sound quality, and spending $200 on them is better than having a cable and all those other things being better/cheaper.

But you still get EarPods in the box? Am I right?
 
People drop AirPods all the time at the train in Phoenix. The difference is because our trains are surface running, people do just go in the tracks and fish them. Power for the train is above you rather than on a third rail, but there is still that whole, getting hit by a train thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ravi_MR
Hello world!

To celebrate this beautiful day here is my free ingenious gift to DIY enthusiasts and entrepreneurs - AirBond, which can be as simple as a thick knitting string of a fashionable colour tying two AirPods together.

For medical professionals, enter AirPlast, where each AirPod can be stuck to the ear with a tiny bit of plaster tape.

Share & enjoy! :p
 
I never lost an AirPod, though I did lose the entire case with the AirPods inside back in 2017. I blame it on going to the car wash on a Saturday morning. The Find My tracker could not located them as the case was not opened that morning. Sucks but I purchased another pair soon after.
 
So you have your headphone back AND an interesting story about how you got herpes in your ear(s).
 
Last edited:
I climbed down the subway platform once to get my iPod 4th gen when it fell in between the subway car and platform as I ran to get into. I got in but only to see my iPod fly out of my pocket and into the tracks.
I climbed down, picked it up, and struggled to climb back out of it. A young teen saw me climb out and called me crazy.

If you're in a subway, go to a the booth and request help. That's the safest and sanest thing to do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PlayUltimate



So many AirPods have been lost in New York City subway tracks in recent months that the MTA is considering initiating a public service announcement urging commuters to refrain from taking AirPods on or off while entering or exiting trains, a spokesperson for the transit agency told The Wall Street Journal.

lost-airpods-nyc-subway.jpg

Ashley Mayer recovered her AirPods with a broom and duct tape

The PSA would hopefully alleviate the delays caused by the numerous AirPods that fall between the cracks each day:While the location of AirPods can be tracked using the Find My iPhone app, the earphones often become trapped in hard-to-reach places due to their small size. This led The Wall Street Journal to highlight the extravagant measures that some customers have taken to recover their lost AirPods:In an extreme case, well-known Apple analyst Gene Munster admitted that he has apparently lost 10 pairs of AirPods.

Apple charges $69 for a replacement AirPod in the United States, totaling $138 for a pair. Replacement charging cases are also available for $59, while the wireless AirPods charging case is sold separately for $79.

Paywalled article: America's Stormy Affair with Apple AirPods: Love 'Em and Lose 'Em

Article Link: New Yorkers Losing So Many AirPods in Subway Tracks That MTA is Considering a PSA to Warn Commuters
Crazy how so many people lose AirPods. I’m sure these are the same folks who continuously drop their phones and walk around with cracked screens. The cost of The AirPods alone, forces me
To be a responsible adult and make
Sure I keep up with them. It’s truly not rocket science
 
Oh give me a break. The MTA has better things to do than help with lost AirPods. I say screw them. I have had AirPods for 2.5 years and have yet to lose them.

I can see them falling when people shove, etc... but if you’re used to riding on the train, you should know how to handle them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: myrtlebee
Could airpods get super small yet very strong magnets, so they would always stick in your ears due to being magnetically attached with your head between them?

Dude, you may be onto something. What if piercing parlors could attach magnetic studs near the ear canal so that earbuds would gave sonething to cling to?
 
So the good news is that you only have to buy one if you lose one. If you lose both it's still a little bit cheaper because you don't need a new charging case.

I personally definitely won't buy any AirPods - not because I will lose them, but because I would constantly fear that I lose them. Got some good wireless headphones instead, with noise isolation and possibly better sound. Yes, they are a lot bigger.

Seeing the photo: Can you put AirPods in the washing machine or dish washer (and get them out in working condition)?

I had the same fear that I will lose them and obviously their stupid design but if you are an iPhone user there isn’t a better accessory than the AirPods. My sister had a pair that I borrowed and never looked back.

You will learn not to lose them. I immediately take them off in a crowded place and definitely don’t run with them. Try them if you own an iPhone.
 
I’ve been a day 1 owner, never lost an AirPod. You have to be careful.
I think this story is more about dropping them. Have you ever dropped them? I think everyone has dropped them occasionally especially while fiddling with them and it's hard to actually lose them when you drop them onto the floor or even ground outside. Now add in the fact that New Yorkers spend lots of time waiting for subways everyday. So when they drop their AirPods, they are likely to fall onto the tracks. People can still see them but are afraid (and should be) to retrieve them. If any other city had as much mass commuting, their population would experience the same issues with AirPods being "lost".
 
So the good news is that you only have to buy one if you lose one. If you lose both it's still a little bit cheaper because you don't need a new charging case.

I personally definitely won't buy any AirPods - not because I will lose them, but because I would constantly fear that I lose them. Got some good wireless headphones instead, with noise isolation and possibly better sound. Yes, they are a lot bigger.

Seeing the photo: Can you put AirPods in the washing machine or dish washer (and get them out in working condition)?

I have even better news for you. You can drastically reduce your probability losing them by spending $6!

https://www.amazon.com/FINENIC【2-Co...s/dp/B07DD5L8R3/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2KJ4LQ6PSYSMX

61HGUHZH6cL._SL1500_.jpg
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.