[727374]

"They’re wired behind the neck but they’re every bit a competitor to Apple’s AirPods"

Umm, no. The killer feature of AirPods is the form factor and not having an annoying cable connecting the buds. As other posters have noted, Amazon is full of cabled headphones. Language translation is certainly cool, but for most people that's not an everyday need.

[mullingitover]

> The killer feature of AirPods is the form factor and not having an annoying cable connecting the buds

Ehh, the ability to lose those things really easily is not what I'd call a killer feature. The cabled bluetooth headphones are easy to keep draped over your neck when not in use. Someone actually sells a $10 string that connects the Earpods so they too can have this convenient feature [0].

[0] http://promo.spigen.com/product/iphone-7-iphone-7-plus-airpo...

[calibration263]

Before the AirPods came out I had a pair of Jaybird X2's. For me at least being able to hang them around my neck when not in use did not help keep from losing them, it's the REASON I lost them. I lost my Jaybirds in about a month and a half, after having them fall off my neck without me noticing multiple times. They fell off my neck on my walk to/from work at least 4-5 times before I finally didn't notice in time to get back to them before they'd be grabbed up.

My AirPods however I've had since January/February and I still have both. I have never gotten close to losing them the 4-5 times I did with the Jaybirds, because instead of dangling around my shirt/jacket, they go back in the case and into my pocket the second they come out of my ear. I've had some cases where I misplace them at home of course, but they're not just jumping out of my ears, and if they did I'd surely notice my music/podcast stop playing.

I also have found earbuds that are actually wireless(not wired bluetooth earbuds) has been a huge improvement. For example if I pull one out, I don't have a wire hanging and pulling on the other bud uncomfortably. If my buds are getting low, I can recharge one at a time without having to stop my podcast/music. They're also massively more comfortable, the Jaybird wire was kind of tacky and would catch and move jumpily on my neck, putting on a hoodie/jacket would pull on the cable or knock them out of my ears, and putting it in front of my neck was even more annoying. (Constantly having something moving and bumping against my chin was super annoying). Bluetooth wired earbuds are fine, but after having used what was widely regarded at the time as the best pair available, using wireless earbuds makes them feel like a cheap stopgap.

[dclusin]

Everyone always says this but I feel like it's a non-starter. I haven't ever misplaced my earbuds and I've owned them for several months. House & car keys have a similar form factor and don't have a cable, yet most people don't seem to have problems keeping track of those.

[Jesus_Jones]

Maybe you don't lose your car keys, but there are dozens of products that purport to help you find your lose keys, by attaching various detectors and buzzers to them. I personally never lose my keys unless my wife moves them while I'm looking the other way - I swear that's what's happening.

[bdcravens]

Worth noting that AirPods can be found via Find My iPhone - it'll report last place they were paired and send remote noise to assist in finding

[rifung]

I keep my car and house keys in the same key ring thing.. isn't that basically a cable?

[jsjohnst]

I've lost mine once, but Find My Phone reminded me I left them at the office.

[microtherion]

You carry your car keys in your ear? That sounds pretty hardcore.

[kfrzcode]

House/car keys didn't migrate form factor

[dclusin]

http://www.corkscrewsonline.com/images/00232.JPG

Oh Reghinold! I disagree!

[kfrzcode]

Still metal, still about key-sized, still the same concept

[awinder]

If only Apple invented some sort of device that held the headphones when they weren’t in your ears. I wanna say like a basket but that’s not it, this thing should fit in a pocket.

If they really went nuts I’d say it be cool if the thing also charged the headphones. But I mean, what a crazy world that would be.

[amelius]

How about a piercing in the earlobe, through which you secure the AirPod?

When not in use, your AirPods can double as earrings.

[mleo]

I used the AirPods for a week before returning them. It stayed in one ear, but kept falling out of the other ear. The thought to purchase a cord or ear hooks crossed my mind until I realized it would make charging them in the case painful by having to disconnect the attachment before charging them.

As such, the AirPods form factor is a killer feature if they fit your ear and stay through activity. If they do not stay, there is no point in trying to "extend" them.

[lobster_johnson]

I find it so weird that Apple keeps making the same ear pod shapes. I've never been able to keep them in my ears. The silicone plugs -- especially the "winged" kind -- that everyone other than Apple (Bose, Shure, Sony etc.) uses are functionally superior. Third parties to provide soft adapters so they can fit in people's ears, but it's so weird that Apple doesn't.

I suspect aesthetics is the only reason Apple doesn't use the soft silicon type. Maybe they found that the hard plugs fit 90% of people and that's good enough.

[wilg]

They do make them as an optional accessory though: https://www.apple.com/shop/product/ME186LL/A/apple-in-ear-he...

[Dobbs]

I'm not sure how a wire keeps you from losing them. If an airpod falls out of your ear it is immediately obvious. The only time I've actually had them fall out of my ear is when I'm doing something like hugging my dog or pulling a hoodie off over my head.

[glenstein]

Killer feature or not, it's the distinguishing feature that makes AirPods what they are, and it makes little sense to consider any product without it a "competitor". Unless we're going to play with language and stretch the meaning of competitor.

[xsmasher]

IMO the killer features of the airpods are the instant-on when you take them out of the case, the auto pause/play when you remove/insert them, and the in-case charging.