[drng]

Top comment was talking about how it's nice to have headphones that "just work" as headphones are expected to. The response that $100 Sennheisers do the same thing is perfectly reasonable. Lest you miss the point completely: This is speaking to the audience who only want the "just works" headphones and not the $400 worth of differentiating features.

[dkonofalski]

No, the top comment was talking specifically about the problems that Apple has addressed with their headphones through hardware and software. It's not analogous at all.

The point is that "their job" differs for some people and OP was pretty explicit on what "their job" meant to them.

[sudosysgen]

And the point is that most of the things perceived as only working on Apple are actually standard nowadays. You can automatically switch devices, you can automatically transform multi-channel audio to spatial audio on headphones, and so on.

[dkonofalski]

Name one device that switches automatically between devices as seamlessly as Airpods?

I have Macs and PCs and the only device that I can use wirelessly without any issues are my Airpods. With the PC, it's just a click to connect. I have tried Jabra headsets, Sony, Bose, and others and none of them even come close so I have to politely disagree with that statement. If these Airpods Max are anything like my regular Airpods, that will be worth it just to add watching TV to that list.

[tidepod12]

I have Jabra Elites and I don't even have to "click to connect". They're connected to both devices at the same time. They're what I use every day for listening to music on one device and seamlessly switch to answering a call on another device, no press of any button required.

I actually have AirPods too, and I consider the Jabras to be more seamless.

[dkonofalski]

I have a Jabra Elite headset which is what I figured you were referring to and I think you're stretching it to say that it's seamless. I can't get it to connect to my computer and phone without having the app installed and, even then, the sound quality was garbage until I updated the firmware on the set. I don't see how you can think that the Jabra is more seamless unless you only use 2 devices and don't use the Airpods with iCloud. My Airpods switch from my phone, computer, iPad, and Apple TV so seamlessly that I "donated" my the Elite to my wife for work. She has to answer phones for her job and even she thinks the audio quality on the Elite is bad compared to her Airpods but she finds the headset more comfortable than the Airpods.

[tidepod12]

I have the Jabra Elite 65t and I've never installed the app on any device. As I type this I currently have it connected to both my iPhone and my Macbook Pro and it is definitely more seamless than my AirPods when switching between the two. The AirPods require me to manually switch which device it is connected to when I switch between music and a call (it's only one single button press, so not that big of a deal, but still). The Jabra, OTOH, requires literally zero interaction for me. I listen to music on my phone and then when it's time for a Zoom call on my laptop I simply launch Zoom and the Jabra automatically switch. I also use it with my iPad, an Android tablet, and two other macbooks and it works fine. The only quirkiness is that it doesn't like being connected to a macbook and an ipad at the same time. When switching between the iPad and one of my MBPs I have to manually disconnect from the iPad first, but that's only with the iPad for some reason.

I've never noticed a difference in the sound quality, and I have actually had coworkers remark that they can hear me better when I use the Jabras, FWIW.

[aksss]

I don’t know about “as seamlessly” but my jabra’s connect to both PC and iPhone at same time, so no switching or clicking required. At time I bought the Jabras this seemed like an advantage over the AirPods. Still happy with them.

[dkonofalski]

Yes, but you can only do that with 2 active devices at a time.

[criddell]

Shutting off one side when you pull the can away from your head is a pretty neat feature. Do other brands do that as well?

[dkonofalski]

I feel like this is a pretty standard feature of most earbuds but I don't think there are many headphones/cans that do that. I agree that it's a neat feature and wish more things did that (while also giving the option to disable it).