Were people not going to use wireless headphones had Apple not given us AirPods? They all have batteries limiting their lifespans and are generally not easily repaired.
Apple has put a lot of marketing behind its particular brand of wireless headphones. This almost certainly has had an effect on adoption of wireless earbuds as a category.
It isn't a foregone conclusion that wireless earbuds would become popular. The wire isn't all that annoying, and going wireless is much more expensive and requires recharging.
Consider also the alternate "neckbud" solution, which removes the most annoying wire while also leaving more space for a longer (and possible to remove) battery. Without the AirPods, maybe those would have become the standard.
Apple removing the headphone jack from the iPhone undoubtably helped, too.
But yes, the entire category is environmentally questionable. Although, I'm not clear that they are all truly impossible to repair like the Airpods are.
It isn't a foregone conclusion that wireless earbuds would become popular. The wire isn't all that annoying, and going wireless is much more expensive and requires recharging.
Consider also the alternate "neckbud" solution, which removes the most annoying wire while also leaving more space for a longer (and possible to remove) battery. Without the AirPods, maybe those would have become the standard.
Apple removing the headphone jack from the iPhone undoubtably helped, too.
But yes, the entire category is environmentally questionable. Although, I'm not clear that they are all truly impossible to repair like the Airpods are.