Absolutely love my AirPods. I have a total of five pairs of various generations around the house that all still work (sans my 1st gen AirPods, RIP). They are one of the first things that I ensure I pack when traveling since I listen to a lot of music and podcasts. Definitely one of Apple’s more successful products since Steve passed.
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Apple Released the Original AirPods Eight Years Ago Today
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I’m with you except the headphone jack is still not useless. I love my AirPods Pro 2 and am going to buy the next version as soon as they release them. But I also love high quality, simple, reliable connections of all kinds.
I also remember them 'testing' while shaking their heads or running and claiming it's super unusable. And a few years later, they literally were market leader in this segment as a newcomer.
I did had some issues with the first AirPods, my head would feel unpleasant, dizzy or something whenever I was using them. Returned. Then had the AirPods Pro (1) for a while and got unpleasantly surprised with crackling noise after a year or so, and the mic for phone calls were really subpar.
Since the AirPods Pro 2 I must say there are no issues for me. So it took me a while before I really was at ease with these AirPods. Although my Bose wireless with cable (between the earphones) and the follow up Soundsport free also had quite some quality and sync issues. To me it seems not an easy product to get it right.
I had to live with wired headphones but I used them a lot when these came out. I also tried some Sony over the ear wireless buds, they worked ok but weren't very comfortable for long term use and would pop out of my ears a bit letting too much noise in. Finally had the money to buy the APP when they came out, and what a revelation. Now on APP2 and I really can't think of any flaws. They work great, and have become something I depend on every day.
Loved them for three years and then the batteries died… moved to Sony as batteries can be changed. Never again, AirPods.
Ever hopeful my EarPods2 Pro will actually work. For phone ring through, for hearing someone talking to me, for Hearing Aid function to just work. Apple give me a call - I’ll MAYBE hear the phone ring. Or maybe through my gonzo Amazon “hearing aids”.
Absolutely. Getting it right is a huge issue considering all the options and settings. If Apple got these right I would love them as backups to my prescription hearing Bluetooth aids. This serious stuff. Mean while my prescription aids are my solid (EXPENSIVE) base. And right now it’s a mess getting these to work properly, getting support (it’s a HEALTH issue) who know anything about it, and falling back in some Gonzo pods/aids from Amazon.
Every wired headphone I’ve owned had broken at one point but my AirPods Pro keep trucking.
Also you can recycle electronics.
3rd party repair shops in 3rd world countries can replace left and right batteries for ₱1,500
I've really soured on my AirPods Pro (1st gen). The standard Bluetooth problems are there (prmiscuously connects to one device when I want them to connect to another, switches devices when I just want to read text on the second device, music pauses when a phone call comes, etc.)
Today marks eight years since Apple launched the original AirPods. Unveiled in September 2016 alongside the iPhone 7, the wireless headphones became available on December 19, 2016, following a slight delay.
At the time, wireless headphones were already on the market but had not yet reached true mass popularity. AirPods helped redefine the category through their convenience and seamless integration with Apple devices. Apple's Phil Schiller at the time:
Priced at $159, the first-generation AirPods introduced key features such as one-tap pairing with Apple devices and in-ear detection for automatic play-pause functionality. Powered by Apple's custom W1 chip, they delivered enhanced audio quality compared to wired EarPods and set a new standard for battery life in a compact, completely wireless design.
Since their debut, AirPods have evolved with the release of second-, third-, and fourth-generation models in March 2019, October 2021, and September 2024. These updates brought improvements such as better audio quality, longer battery life, hands-free "Hey Siri" functionality, a wireless charging case, and, most recently, active noise cancellation. The product line has also expanded with the premium AirPods Pro, featuring an in-ear design and active noise cancellation, in October 2019, and the over-ear AirPods Max in December 2020.
Article Link: Apple Released the Original AirPods Eight Years Ago Today
And there are the AirPro Pro specific problems. My right AirPod doesn't fit as well as the left, and when I first insert, the right one plays white noise for a long while, till I tap it, then it stops, then plays white noise again, and after a few seconds, the volume comes down, and then it is OK.
If I scratch my ear or stomp on the floor, same problem. The AirPods try to reset their sensors of my ear.
Sometimes one plays but the other doesn't. I have to take them out and put them in the case to fix the problem.
Especially when I'm using two devices, managing them is much harder than just dealing with a wire.
And they're just way too expensive.
I’d probably suggest replacing them and best of luck to have them working properly.
They WERE replaced three days after getting them at Apple Store. Only real info I got in two store visits was “Make a call appointment with Apple Health.”
I am glad they have been redesigned. I couldn't wear the OP as thy hurt my ears after 10 minutes, not to mention they would fall out very easily.