Xiaomi Unveils Its Own AirPods Clones

[dps]

Xiaomi today unveiled a new version of its AirDots wireless headphones, and it's safe to say that the average consumer on the street would be hard pressed to distinguish the look from Apple's own AirPods.

The Chinese mobile maker first appeared to take a leaf out of Apple's playbook back in November with the launch of its original AirDots, which were more akin to classic earbuds in design but offered much of the same functionality as AirPods, including gestural controls and a compact charging case.

Xiaomi's newly announced AirDots Pro (aka "Mi Bluetooth Headset Air") buds however look like a straight-up clone of Apple's best-selling wireless headphones, complete with the signature "arm" that houses the Bluetooth receiver and beamforming microphone.

Like AirPods, the earpieces feature touch controls for music playback and invoking personal assistants, and they're able to function independently of each other thanks to adaptive pairing. They also offer water resistance and a four-hour battery life, while the charging case offers an additional 10 hours of charge and can recharge the buds fully in one hour.

To their credit, the AirDots Pro have silicone tips for improved sound isolation and additional active noise cancelation. A black pair is also reportedly in the works. Still, the biggest difference is probably the price - Xiaomi's buds cost 399 Yuan (around $60), whereas Apple's come in at $159. How that saving impacts on sound quality and general performance remains to be seen.

Xiaomi devices, ranging from smartphones to tablets, have been criticized in the past for heavily borrowing design elements from Apple's iPhones and iPads and adopting marketing materials tactics similar to Apple's.

In 2017, Apple won the right to prevent Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi from registering its "Mi Pad" mobile tablet device as an EU trademark because the name was deemed too similar to Apple's iPad.

(Via gizchina.com.)

Article Link: Xiaomi Unveils Its Own AirPods Clones

 

[dps]

Another case similar to phone with round edge?

 

[BlargKing]

I'm betting they sound similar to Airpods at half the price.

 

[Ceviche Lover]

If you can’t innovate, imitate. Xiaomi will always be one step behind as they’re waiting for Apple to release the product they’ll be copying.

But then there’ll be another company that comes along which does the same for even cheaper. We’ve seen it time and again over the last few decades in technology. It’s not a viable long-term business model and within a decade they’ll be a long-forgotten company.

LOL the Chinese don’t care about innovation. They care about making a clone of an expensive product that’s already out on the market at the lowest price possible. They actually take pride in it. Besides, why spend billions in R&D when you can let soemeone else do it and just copy their stuff later? Their entire military is built on IP theft.

 

[lenard]

I would not buy anything that is a close look to Apple products from china. Total copy CATS....

 

[erinsarah]

I’ve had both and the sound quality of the AirPods and the EarPods is NOT the same.

So, which do you feel is better? Genuine question, since I do not own Airpods (yet). I won't be considering the Xaiomi ones, though, because I for some reason can't use the silicone tipped in-ear models as the isolated sound hurts my brain.

 

[baller1308]

they could have made them atleast black and/or come up with a better name

 

[Mike MA]

I'm betting they sound similar to Airpods at half the price.

It's also about the seamless integration of the Airpods which you also pay for, so there's an OS behind - e.g. how easy to connect them or how they get synchronized throughout your devices like your Mac or Apple TV. Some examples.

 

[dojoman]

Why copy the Q-Tip design?

If you're going to copy you might as well copy everything.

 

[deebinem]

It was already hard enough to get Siri to understand what I'm saying, now I gotta talk to her in Mandarin?

 

[sirozha]

It was already hard enough to get Siri to understand what I'm saying, now I gotta talk to her in Mandarin?

No, just feed her mandarins, and you will be fine.

 

[omihek]

Let's be honest. They do not look like a "straight-up clone" of AirPods. Whoever wrote this article, open your eyes and stop trying to be dramatic.

 

[nburwell]

Hideous compared to the AirPods. But I know the AirPods encountered criticism as well for the design when they were first released.

 

[maxfromdenmark]

Design, yes. But according to this site, the case charges over USB-C. That's a big plus in my book.

I charge my case during sleep but bigger, clunker case in my pocket is no go but hey, if you like them go for it

 

[grayskyz]

Anyone with IQ above 0 can tell the difference.

There's one born every minute, I've seen more than a few people walking around in knockoffs. How do I know? The obnoxious flashing blue light.

 

[sinsin07]

What’s all the hubbub?
Xiaomi wasn’t first and the following more closely resembles AirPods:

Sharper Image

Walmart

 

[BlargKing]

It's also about the seamless integration of the Airpods which you also pay for, so there's an OS behind - e.g. how easy to connect them or how they get synchronized throughout your devices like your Mac or Apple TV. Some examples.

If I had a dollar for every time an Apple fan said the phrase "seamless integration"....

Seamless integration is worthless if it only works with Apple's small overpriced selection of products. You know what has seamless integration across pretty much every product? The 3.5mm headphone jack.

 

[TommyBoyAZ]

Wow this is great innovation... Hmmm... Lets copy another company's product and ride on the coat tales of their success... SMH *Thumbs up China* (no shame on their part at all)...

 

[NaimNut]

Shameless the Chinese.

 

[Marshall73]

View attachment 814862 View attachment 814861

Shameless the Chinese.

Jesus, that’s minging, ear wax in the holes.

 

[phoneme]

hauwei still does it the best in my opinion plus you can use the reverse wireless charge of your mate 20 pro smartphone to charge them up if need be. hauwei is just killing it right now taking no prisoners.

https://consumer.huawei.com/cn/accessories/freebuds2-pro/

 

[TommyBoyAZ]

View attachment 814862 View attachment 814861

Shameless the Chinese.

LMAO lol that is good!

 

[binaryfuneral]

More economic leeching from China. I’m not surprised.

 

[Unity451]

Fanboy or not, they should forge their own path instead of being so obvious in ripping off their competitors.

Pretty sure apple started this by ripping off the GUI from xerox

 

[Mike MA]

You know what has seamless integration across pretty much every product? The 3.5mm headphone jack.

Well, with this attitude you would still be riding horses instead of (hopefully) driving cars or wouldn’t be able to state your thoughts on this thread via your computer or smartphone.

People want innovation, in this particular case thinner phones and those being waterproof. So the headphone jack as one of the last remaining components also needed a redesign. Before you will reply on this - maybe not according to your needs, but the market asked for. Samsung and other companies now follow the same path.

Let’s put it like this, if I would get a Dollar everytime people mix up innovation with violating standards...