Why I am not convinced by AirPod and will never buy one

[LovingTeddy]

AirPod is neat, it doesn't require wire connection and it automatically connects to iOS or Mac without need to go through bluetooth connection. It support all shorts of Siri capability and of course, the most recent annouce with Siri. I seen more and more AirPods on the street and that worries me.

Colleague of mine who purchased the first generation AirPod at launch day and the battery could not hold any charges. The battery can bearly makes more than 10 minutes of phone call. $250CAD (219 with 13% sales tax in Ontario, Canada) is now a paper weight. Of course, you can argue about Lithom-ion battery is going to loss charges over time and Apple can not defy chemistry physics. I get that.

However, due to the design of AirPod, it is impossible for battery get replaced. Of course, there is no warranty on that thing after three years of use. $250 dollars AirPod is more like $80 subscription for him now. He has to go shell out either 371CAD for the AirPod Pro or other $250 for the AirPod (without wireless charging case) and he will still facing same problems few years down the road.

Apple has been go down to this rabbit hole for while now. Apple is desgining their product as disposible items without possibilities of upgrade or repalce component. The AirPod is designed as disposbile items and millions or billions of this tiny wireless speakers will ends up in landfills.

I am not going down this path as I am not prepared to shellout couple hundrands of dollars for pieces of disposible wireless speakers, this is completely waste of money and it could be enviromental disasters.

For now, i will keep use my cheap lightning headphones that comes with the phone. It is free, it does not need battery to operate and it will work everytime i plug in. Unless Apple comes up with a magic solution that allows users change battery, I am not going to purchase AirPod.

 

[Moriend87]

Good for you. 3 years is a pretty good run.

 

[Shark5150]

Good on you. Vote with your wallet. I, on the other hand, vote the opposite. We all can cast out vote with our wallets.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I paid $135 for my Airpods, if I get 3 years out of them that’s $4 a month. Even if they only last 2 years that’s less than $6 a month, I’m ok with that return...

 

[astrorider]

It's $49 to replace the battery out of warranty: https://support.apple.com/airpods/repair/service#battery

 

[mavis]

Cool story. I love my AirPods Pro - sold my Sony WF-1000XM3 because the ANC is decent enough on the AirPods Pro and they're just so much more convenient - the case is literally HALF the size. But you're right - just like the rest of us, you should vote with your wallet!

 

[akash.nu]

I mean show me another wireless earbuds manufacturer that lets the consumer replace the battery!

The more compact the tech is the less room there is for repair / replacement. Eventually everything is going to be use and throw because really technology is not something you hold on to dearly for years to come. It’s here to evolve and change and you gotta change with it. Otherwise congratulations on your lightning EarPods.

 

[icloudUser]

which other earbuds come with replaceable batteries?
I also wonder why these batteries are not replaceable. Apple went with tablet batteries in the APP and the built quality is such that i can feel the seam between the two halves of the earbud. So that should come apart to allow replaceing of the battery?

 

[Ralfi]

Fair enough OP. For those saying other Bluetooth buds also can’t have their batteries replaced, I think the OP just singled out the Airpods because they really wanted them to work with their existing ecosystem & is disappointed they don’t.

 

[LovingTeddy]

I mean show me another wireless earbuds manufacturer that lets the consumer replace the battery!

The more compact the tech is the less room there is for repair / replacement. Eventually everything is going to be use and throw because really technology is not something you hold on to dearly for years to come. It’s here to evolve and change and you gotta change with it. Otherwise congratulations on your lightning EarPods.

Therefore, I am using a wired headphone. I don’t care about wireless headphone, because it just creates paperweight three years down the road.

I do not find wireless headphone that attractive to me at least.

I generally dislike the way how modern technology are designed. Apple and other companies are designing products that are less user serviceable. The compact design with everything soldiered and glued, we are creating more and more wastes day by day.

Canadians, I don’t know about United States, aren’t good at dealing with their wastes. We just dump the into shipping containers and ship to third world countries.

I like to create as little waste as possible, especially these electronic wastes

 

[Phil22]

It's commendable from the OP, they have point. There is only so much space on this Earth we can chuck all of these plastic AirPods into. A shame but as others have pointed out that's the way Apple (and other companies) want to do business. As long as Tim's backyard isn't the dumping ground for said plastic it's somebody else's problem to sort out.

 

[Moriend87]

It's commendable from the OP, they have point. There is only so much space on this Earth we can chuck all of these plastic AirPods into. A shame but as others have pointed out that's the way Apple (and other companies) want to do business. As long as Tim's backyard isn't the dumping ground for said plastic it's somebody else's problem to sort out.

So the wired ones don’t break and get thrown away too? The wired ones are junk. They get tangled up and you just give up and throw them away. Lol more wired headphones are in the dump than AirPods I can promise that. People aren’t just going to throw away 150-200 dollar headphones as opposed to a wired headphone it’s throw away junk.

 

[akash.nu]

Therefore, I am using a wired headphone. I don’t care about wireless headphone, because it just creates paperweight three years down the road.

I do not find wireless headphone that attractive to me at least.

I generally dislike the way how modern technology are designed. Apple and other companies are designing products that are less user serviceable. The compact design with everything soldiered and glued, we are creating more and more wastes day by day.

Canadians, I don’t know about United States, aren’t good at dealing with their wastes. We just dump the into shipping containers and ship to third world countries.

I like to create as little waste as possible, especially these electronic wastes

Out of curiosity, have you actually used wireless headphones before dismissing it?

 

[LovingTeddy]

So the wired ones don’t break and get thrown away too? The wired ones are junk. They get tangled up and you just give up and throw them away. Lol more wired headphones are in the dump than AirPods I can promise that. People aren’t just going to throw away 150-200 dollar headphones as opposed to a wired headphone it’s throw away junk.

I don’t know how others do. But I keep my headphones around. I have my iPhone 5 earbuds around and the lightning headphone around.

Wired headphone does not contain batteries, which contains toxic chemicals. If we dispose these millions of AirPod improperly, these batteries are harmful to environment.

We as first world countries aren’t doing great job on garbage disposal. Until we figure out a way of processing these garbage, I will avoid AirPod.

From computers to cellphone, I like to keep them as long as possible and replace broken parts if I can. I still using my 2006 Acer laptop for light browsing, I assembled my desktop, so I can throw as little as possible and reuse most components, I only brought ThinkPads, which I can get hard drive, memory replaced when problem occurs.

 

[Moriend87]

I don’t know how others do. But I keep my headphones around. I have my iPhone 5 earbuds around and the lightning headphone around.

Wired headphone does not contain batteries, which contains toxic chemicals. If we dispose these millions of AirPod improperly, these batteries are harmful to environment.

We as first world countries aren’t doing great job on garbage disposal. Until we figure out a way of processing these garbage, I will avoid AirPod.

From computers to cellphone, I like to keep them as long as possible and replace broken parts if I can. I still using my 2006 Acer laptop for light browsing, I assembled my desktop, so I can throw as little as possible and reuse most components, I only brought ThinkPads, which I can get hard drive, memory replaced when problem occurs.

By you not buying one set of AirPods it won’t make one difference. Apple will still make the same amount. The AirPods to me are so much easier to use and I find myself taking care of them more than the wired ones.

 

[akash.nu]

I don’t know how others do. But I keep my headphones around. I have my iPhone 5 earbuds around and the lightning headphone around.

Wired headphone does not contain batteries, which contains toxic chemicals. If we dispose these millions of AirPod improperly, these batteries are harmful to environment.

We as first world countries aren’t doing great job on garbage disposal. Until we figure out a way of processing these garbage, I will avoid AirPod.

From computers to cellphone, I like to keep them as long as possible and replace broken parts if I can. I still using my 2006 Acer laptop for light browsing, I assembled my desktop, so I can throw as little as possible and reuse most components, I only brought ThinkPads, which I can get hard drive, memory replaced when problem occurs.

I commend your effort at personal level but if we keep that mindset then we would have been stuck in 1990s.

Google killed project Ara because nobody wanted to deal with repair / replacement of parts themselves. This is the natural progression of technology. We’re going through a transformation phase of shaking the old out and adopting new ways to move forward.

Eventually things might become more of a plug and play system rather than repair / replacement and technology waste will still be massive.

Ultimately, you need to understand that businesses aren’t charity, they exist to make money for the share holders while providing some benefit to the population. It’s an exchange model and businesses will always strive to increase profit. Now to be able to do it in a more environmentally friendly way while making as much profit to stay in business is another discussion.

 

[LovingTeddy]

I commend your effort at personal level but if we keep that mindset then we would have been stuck in 1990s.

Google killed project Ara because nobody wanted to deal with repair / replacement of parts themselves. This is the natural progression of technology. We’re going through a transformation phase of shaking the old out and adopting new ways to move forward.

Eventually things might become more of a plug and play system rather than repair / replacement and technology waste will still be massive.

Ultimately, you need to understand that businesses aren’t charity, they exist to make money for the share holders while providing some benefit to the population. It’s an exchange model and businesses will always strive to increase profit. Now to be able to do it in a more environmentally friendly way while making as much profit to stay in business is another discussion.

I have my way of operating. You have asked me before if I had wireless headset, the answer is yes. This is freebies I get when I purchase my laptop during Boxing Day deal. Luckily, this wireless headphone is capable connect to wires and used as wired headphone. (Yes, it has headphone jack built in and it is over the ear headphone).

I remotely care how much corporate makes money and how they makes money. I am simply voicing my opinion on AirPods. You do whatever you like to do.

There is a reason that I am not buying iMac, MacBook Pro, when I can buy more serviceable laptop and when I build my own PC.

I buy iPad simply because there aren’t any tablet is user serviceable.

But if giving choice, I will always choose products that is user serviceable. Not only this is good for my wallet, but also it is good for the environment.

If by moving to more integrated, more disposable products is way technology progress, I think we are making big mistake.

 

[jbachandouris]

Never could understand people posting why they don't want to buy a certain product. A person that buys something and doesn't like it and tells why, different story. Otherwise, WHO CARES? Oh, that's right, NO ONE!

 

[retta283]

Highly unlikely. It's not feasible to make AirPods that have replaceable batteries at their current size. I am one for user right to repair and service, old cars and laptops/desktops for example, but something this small is different.

I myself would like to have a pair of wireless earbuds for running, but my ear shape is very uncommon and nothing fits. Been using the same pair of wired headphones for a good chunk of my life, and will not buy new until they die.

 

[LovingTeddy]

Highly unlikely. It's not feasible to make AirPods that have replaceable batteries at their current size. I am one for user right to repair and service, old cars and laptops/desktops for example, but something this small is different.

I myself would like to have a pair of wireless earbuds for running, but my ear shape is very uncommon and nothing fits. Been using the same pair of wired headphones for a good chunk of my life, and will not buy new until they die.

Apple could use clips when designing the AirPod. You can then prying the clips and open the AirPod. Then service the battery from there. But I don’t know, Apple designed AirPod this way, they must have some valid reason.

 

[Ralfi]

Btw, there should be e-waste bins within your area now where you can throw out things like Airpods. The public aren’t made aware of them enough though.

 

[Itinj24]

Matter cannot be created or destroyed...

Tim is not manufacturing and pulling AirPods out of his a$$. The material was there before the AirPod was created and it will continue to be there when the end user is done with it. Waste happens and it’s someone else’s responsibility to reassign it. I don’t own a manufacturing plant.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

I look at it another way. EVERY time that i've bought expensive wired earphones, used every day, within 12 months or so, the wire always breaks near to the 3.5mm jack - Beats iBeats, B&O Play, Atomic Floyd.

My last wired earphones were Atomic Floyd Superdarts from the Apple Store at £199. They had kevlar cable which was marketed as strong. Guess what? They wore out and a break occurred. Sadly, Atomic Floyd's after sales service was non existent and it was very clear to see why Apple stopped selling this brand. Great reviews but I was never impressed with them - heavy metal design, badly designed remote - sweet treble but bass lacking.

After this, for me BlueTooth earphones were the answer for me. If I use my AirPods Pro every day, i'll be very happy to get 2.5 years use from them especially given my wired experience. Also, surely most fans of earphones would want to replace them every 2+ years anyway when new ranges are released?

 

[Otflyer]

Everything breaks eventually and will have to be disposed of.

 

[CraigB1960]

I have thrown away more wired earphones in my life due to poorly designed wires that break very easy. My AirPods Pro will get thrown away eventually, but certainly not at the rate my wired ones were.

I also have gone through several wireless ear phones that broke easily or the batteries did not hold a charge very early in their life cycle. These went right in the trash.

I have confidence that Apple's are a quality product that will last a long time. Even if I pay to have the battery replaced.

The AirPods Pro's are the first earphone Apple has produced that work in my ears. Their wired products and AirPods 1 & 2 did not fit my ears. So, to me this is a winner and have no regrets spending my money for them. Vote with your wallet and I will vote with mine.

As another poster pointed out, I use mine everyday for several hours or more a day. Doing the math, if they last 3 years before a battery replacement is needed or replacement, that is roughly $.25 per day, not bad for a simply pleasure.