[pushpop]

I agree with your point about the OPs exaggeration of time ("over the years") however I have to disagree with your rant about "true wireless".

Having a wire around your neck is totally different to having one to your phone. It's actually a nice convenience having a neck wire because:

* you're less likely to lose an odd earphone (something that is more likely when your earphones are like loose change)

* you can pop one earphone out and rest it on your shoulder. eg when shopping and you're in the queue to pay. You can then interact with the cashier without appearing rude

* you get extended battery life as you now only need one BT radio per pair of headphones (this is actually the main reason 3rd party ones are cabled and this is a problem Apple have managed to solve with a custom BT radio controller)

The fact that you can buy after market cords for Apple's wireless earphones says a lot about how it's actually a desirable feature for some people. But another example is people who attach neck cords to reading glasses.

Moreover, I do happen to own corded bluetooth earphones and specifically chose them over "true wireless" because they offered the best of both worlds - liberated me from being tethered to my phone or other playback devices while still giving me the convenience to hang the earphones around my neck while I'm not using them. This was a very calculated decision on my part because I did also look at "true wireless" and was very tempted by them. I'm also adamant that I made the right decision given my usages.