“Despite the quirky design that makes it look like your ears are smoking mini e-cigs, AirPods are unmistakably an Apple product,” Michael Simon writes for Macworld. “It may look like Jony Ive merely severed the cord on a pair of EarPods, but the tiny buds are packed with cutting-edge features. From how they pair to the smart way they handle your tunes, Apple’s first crack at wireless headphones are as much about showcasing new tech as it is about replacing a century-old standard.”
“They’re not simply there to fill a void where a pair of wired headphones used to be—we’ve already got several pairs of wireless Beats for that,” Simon writes. “AirPods represent a platform for the future that extends far beyond our ears.”
Simon writes, “While the iPhone and Apple Watch are certainly poised to take advantage of AirPods’ innovations, the potential impact on the products Apple is still developing is even more intriguing.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Simon is dead on target: “Add a cellular chip to Apple Watch and suddenly the iPhone is no longer AirPods’ best companion.”
SEE ALSO:
Hands-on with Apple’s new AirPods: Stayed in my ears, sounded awesome – September 10, 2016
Apple and a truly wireless future: AirPods are just the start – September 10, 2016
The future is: a new iPhone made (partially) of glass (not unlike iPhone 4/S) that would use wireless charging that works both ways. This would allow you to charge you AirPods right from your phone as a temporary measure, as well as get rid of Lightning connector, making iPhone truly wireless device (though in case of prolonged trips you will have to bear with you charging pad, not just Lightning cable, as now).
Whether this will come next year with iPhone 8, or in 2018 with iPhone 9, I am not sure; but my guess is that such future is coming.
What AirPods tell us about Apple: Jony likes to take long naps. If this sort of lax attitude towards design happened while Steve was still alive, he’d be chewed out.
Have you used a pair? Why criticizing before they are even tangible. I have my doubts but I’m maintaining an open mind. I’ll try a pair and return them if I don’t like them. It’s that simple.
Seriously, ask yourself how long did it take Jony to design the airpods?
If AirPods looks that good and work as well as people say it does, then I think you’ll find that an immense amount of work went into the design process.
Ever noticed how talented performers make whatever they’re doing seem so effortless? It takes a hell of a lot of work to make something look effortless.
Both of you should reserve judgement until you have the opportunity to try them for yourselves.
I am not keeping my hopes up, because no Apple earbud yet has worked well for me. YMMV.
I have been a day one original iPhone and 5GB iPod owner. Of course many many iPods and many many iPhones. None of Apples earbuds have ever stayed in my ears. I can’t even walk around without them falling out. I even spent the $80 bucks to get the ones with the different size round pod thing in different sizes
And still couldn’t keep them in my ears.
I had to buy an over the ear clip on goofy looking pair to get them to stay near my ears. But I spent all day messing with them. The only kind that will work for me is the LG Bluetooth that goes around your neck. But I keep having to send them back because of them not retracting or going dead in one side or the other.
I too will buy them. I sure pray the stay in my ears. But I’m not holding my breath.
Design is just part of the package. The engineering that’s packed inside is the package is what makes it so magical.
Quirky design? Wow, that’s being kind! 😘
Flame away — they’re ugly, OK. Sticks and cigs coming out of my ears? Fall out on concrete and see how well they work.
Apple’s future — more batteries in landfills, more charging, more energy production and pollution. How green.
This is the worst Apple design since the flower iMac. Much better designs already out there and more secure, too.
Here’s what needs to happen and probably will sooner or later: the physical SIM card will be replaced by a digital SIM card (or user id attached to one number and customer). This SIM card service agreement will allow the use of one device at a time, which will allow the customer to transfer at will the SIM card from one device to the next (here of course it’s a phone and a watch, but it could be any cell service ready device). Now an Apple Watch becomes something much greater and multiple devices under the same cell number can be easily managed without price gouging – greed and technology need to support the idea but otherwise it would be simple enough.