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Apple Delays AirPods Wireless Headphones

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Re: Apple Delays AirPods Wireless Headphones

#61

Post by revelation »

jonlucc wrote: post #45
beedogs wrote: post #38

Bluetooth headphones are a solution in search of a problem.

I disagree. I work in a lab (biology), and I listen to podcasts, books, and music for a large part of most days. I currently use wired headphones, but the cord tugs at them all day. In addition, wires get caught. Just today, I was stooping down to put something on the bottom shelf of a freezer, and when I started to stand up, the cord caught on my knee and yanked the headphone right off my ear. This kind of thing hap…

Well.. why are you using headphones connected some place not on your body?

The dichotomy isn't "wireless" or "long cable to some stationary box", it's "wireless" or "in-ear to music player in your pocket".

Re: Apple Delays AirPods Wireless Headphones

#62

Post by dkonofalski »

kough wrote: post #52
r00fus wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just get a clip-on BT receiver and use cheap wired headphones. I sweat a LOT and many options e.g. Apple earpods stay in my ear and have not died due to sweat yet after years of workouts (they die for other reasons like me stepping on them).

Any recommendations for which receivers to look at? My search-fu has failed me repeatedly.

Griffin recently released a new Bluetooth adapter called the Griffin iTrip Clip. Initial reviews for it are positive.

Re: Apple Delays AirPods Wireless Headphones

#63

Post by mikeash »

UVB-76 wrote: post #49
intopieces wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't see any merit to beam-forming microphones for noise cancellation, seamless paring experience, Siri access, other-earphone awareness, or lack of tangled wires? You don't remember how iconic the white earbuds have been as a status symbol? It's fine, and even expected, to say, "This product doesn't fit my use-case." But to be unable to fathom why any person on the earth would want to buy the product... that ta…

> You don't see any merit to beam-forming microphones for noise cancellation, seamless paring experience, Siri access, other-earphone awareness, or lack of tangled wires I honestly cannot. They're impressive solutions to problems Apple have created for themselves. Personally, I don't use the built-in microphones in headphones. If I'm speaking to someone, I either hold the phone to my ear, or use speaker phone. Taking…

Apple created noise and wires? Impressive.

Re: Apple Delays AirPods Wireless Headphones

#64

Post by rcthompson »

beedogs wrote: post #38

Bluetooth headphones are a solution in search of a problem.

I disagree. Having wireless headphones is a lot more convenient and wired headphones for some use cases, such as exercising, where the cord tends to get tangled up with either you or the exercise equipment you're using. More generally, not having to plug things in is obviously more convenient than having to plug them in, all other things being equal.

The problem is that the user experience of Bluetooth is absolutely terrible. Every BT device I've used is plagued by frequent disconnects, and it's somewhere between hard and impossible to use a single BT device with multiple other devices (e.g. headphones with both phone and laptop). I own and regularly use a number of BT devices, but I use them because the benefits of being wireless outweigh the considerable frustration of using Bluetooth.

Re: Apple Delays AirPods Wireless Headphones

#65

Post by adventurer »

djrogers wrote: post #46
jonny_eh wrote: post #10

What are the odds they just cancel the product? I haven't seen much excitement for them (since they're pricey and can be so easily lost), and if they're having trouble making them, I could see them just cancelling them and going back to the drawing board.

Pricey? They are by far the least expensive wireless 2-ear headphones you can buy outside of some no-name alibaba ones with 1-2 hour battery life. On top of the price, you're getting almost 2x the battery life of the Samsungs, seamless multi-device paring, beam-forming microphones aided by motion sensors to only turn on when your jaw is moving, etc etc... I think you may have a bit of an echo chamber problem if you d…

The jaybird X2's run half that price now.

Re: Apple Delays AirPods Wireless Headphones

#66

Post by HCIdivision17 »

beedogs wrote: post #38

Bluetooth headphones are a solution in search of a problem.

And almost immediately found: sometimes wires are annoying. It's not hard to think of scenarios where it's nice to have a wireless connection to your mobile device.

For me, it's simply easier to wear them while on a motorcycle, since otherwise I have to thread the wire under my clothes, which can be a real mess in the winter layers. It's positively infuriating to have a wire get caught and tug an earbud while fully suited up with a helmet on while on a highway in the winter.

Re: Apple Delays AirPods Wireless Headphones

#67

Post by Steko »

UVB-76 wrote: post #9

Hopefully the delay is a chance for the product designers to go back to the drawing board. I simply cannot fathom why anyone would want to own a pair.

The designers didn't design one set of headphones and say "we're done, sell it Phil". They designed a bunch of models and then they iterated on the best received of those until they had something better than the competition.

If you can't fathom why anyone would want them how do you explain the consistently positive reviews?

Re: Apple Delays AirPods Wireless Headphones

#68

Post by manarth »

beedogs wrote: post #38

Bluetooth headphones are a solution in search of a problem.

There are reports that the market for wired vs wireless shifted in favour of wireless back in June 2016 [1]. Perhaps Apple looked at the market, saw the direction it was going in, and chose to focus on the majority, encouraging growth in that direction.

[1] https://9to5mac.com/2016/07/28/npd-wireless-headphones-sales...

Re: Apple Delays AirPods Wireless Headphones

#69

Post by lukifer »

UVB-76 wrote: post #9

Hopefully the delay is a chance for the product designers to go back to the drawing board. I simply cannot fathom why anyone would want to own a pair.

For me it's simple: I wear earphones a lot, I'm sick of dangling wires, and I find earpods comfortable (I don't like the style of Bluetooth earbuds that wedge in tight). And because I'll use them 90% for spoken word content, the audio quality is acceptable.

The only thing I don't like is the loss of volume and track controls. I'm hoping a software update will eventually address that.

Re: Apple Delays AirPods Wireless Headphones

#70

Post by OberstKrueger »

flukus wrote: post #60
jonny_eh wrote: post #10

What are the odds they just cancel the product? I haven't seen much excitement for them (since they're pricey and can be so easily lost), and if they're having trouble making them, I could see them just cancelling them and going back to the drawing board.

I don't think they can. They can't exactly leave iPhone7 users without a way to listen to music.

How's that? The iPhone 7 includes Lightning EarPods, Lightning-3.5mm adapter, and works with any other Bluetooth earphones.
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