History of AirPods

In 2016, Apple introduced AirPods. They were one of the first pairs of truly wireless headphones, without any cables connecting them. But this cutting-edge technology didn't come cheap. The AirPods were priced at $159, causing many people online to dismiss the headphones. Since you could buy a wired pair with much better sound quality for the same price. They also mocked the design of the AirPods, comparing them to Q-tips and toothbrush heads. Online commenters were sure that no one would want to wear such ridiculous looking headphones. But as with most Apple haters, it turned out they were wrong. AirPods became a runaway success and have since seen several updates and iterations.

So in this video, I'm going to explain the

history

of AirPods. I'm Greg with Apple Explained and I'd like to thank Skillshare for sponsoring this video. This was the top topic in the last voting poll, and if you weren't able to participate, make sure you're subscribed so future polls can appear in your mobile activity feed. For now, the

history

of the AirPod may not be particularly long, dating back only to 2016, but it is dense and packed with three new product launches and one update. So let's start at the beginning. At a special Apple event in September 2016, everyone was waiting for the presentation of the iPhone 7, which ended up being, to say the least, controversial.

But what we didn't expect was a new Apple accessory called AirPods. They were actually introduced right after we discovered the iPhone's headphone jack was missing. So you can see why some people were a little suspicious of Apple's intentions. Since they essentially created a problem that didn't exist and immediately provided a $159 solution. I don't actually personally subscribe to that idea, but it was a sentiment shared among many members of the tech community at the time. And it's important to understand, since it affected people's opinion of AirPods. Some were immediately discouraged that Apple was trying to manipulate users into buying its "overpriced" priced AirPods.

So they used any possible justification to dismiss the product and advise others not to buy it. Common arguments included "well, you can buy wired headphones with much better sound quality than AirPods for the same price." And "OMG, people are going to lose those tiny headphones right after they buy them." And "no one is going to spend $160 to have Q-tips sticking out of their ears." Simply put, the loudest people online were criticizing AirPods every chance they got. But something happened that I don't think even Apple expected. They reach god-level meme status. AirPods were memeified more than any other Apple product in history.

And it earned Apple an incredible amount of free publicity that instantly made AirPods a well-known product in countries around the world. But I don't think memes are enough for something to be successful. A product has to offer some measurable benefit to users that makes their friends and family want to buy it too. And the   AirPods offered exactly that by being completely wireless. For decades, people had to deal with tangled headphones, frayed headphones, plugging and unplugging, wires getting caught on random things and causing the headphones to fly out of your ear. And even limitations on how far you can go without your device.

I think that's the quality that most AirPods haters were underestimating. People really hated wired headphones. And once they experienced the comfort, freedom, and simplicity of truly wireless earbuds, they simply couldn't go back to the life of tangled, tethered, and wired headphones. The visceral benefits of AirPods became clear the moment people used them. And they had no problem paying the $160 entrance fee. So while AirPods were initially seen as an expensive and silly joke, they quickly became the most in-demand headphones in the world. Apple couldn't even keep them in stock for months after they were released. And once they caught up, demand skyrocketed again in late 2016, during the holiday season.

This was the beginning of AirPods. And it catapulted Apple into the headphone industry in a way no one really expected. After just two years, Apple surpassed Sony to become the world's leading headphone manufacturer. All due to the great popularity of AirPods. Whose users were already hungry for more from Apple. Some people, myself included, wanted an updated pair with an in-house design, while others wanted color options. And Apple didn't give us any of that in 2019 with the second-generation AirPods. We were disappointed that the design hadn't changed and there wasn't a black option. But the Gen 2 model had some interesting improvements, like an H1 processor that included voice-activated Siri instead of long-tapping on an earbud, Bluetooth 5 connectivity, 50% longer talk time on phone calls, faster device connection times. quick and "announce" messages. with Siri” that arrived in iOS   13.2.

It allowed Siri to read your incoming messages automatically and even respond to them simply using your voice. The AirPods gen 2 also included an optional wireless charging case as a $40 bonus, for a total of $200. Or you can get them with the standard charging case for $160. Now, if you are enjoying this video and wondering how to create similar content on YouTube yourself. I recommend checking out the classes on Skillshare. You can watch video workshops on storytelling, grading, and YouTube fundamentals. In fact, I used the Logotype Masterclass workshop with Jessica Hiche to help develop and refine the Apple Explained logo that I use for this channel.

And getting feedback from other Skillshare members was a big help. Plus, the first 1,000 people to use the link in my description will get a free trial of Skillshare Premium Membership. Now, while many people were disappointed with the marginal update to the AirPods gen 2, Apple was quickly working behind the scenes to deliver two entirely new models. The first was the AirPods Pro released in October 2019. They cost $250 and did two things that many original AirPods users requested; an in-ear design and active noise cancellation. But those weren't the only new features. The AirPods Pro also had a transparency mode that allowed users to hear everything going on around them, an automatic equalizer setting, IPX4 water resistance, a standard wireless charging case, interchangeable silicone ear tips, and a new noise sensor. strength in the stems.

Instead of tapping the earbud to control audio like with standard AirPods, users can now squeeze the stem of the AirPods Pro. Many people found it easier and more reliable. But there was a common problem with this model when it came to the silicone pads. Users found that when running, chewing, talking, or laughing, the AirPods Pro would slowly slide out of their ear. Some even dropped them while sitting still. Which is really strange considering that in 2008 they were selling in-ear headphones that fit securely in almost everyone's ears. I was hoping they would use a similar design with the AirPods Pro, but they didn't.

Despite this issue, many people love their AirPods Pro because they offer incredible sound quality for their size and the best noise cancellation of almost any headphones on the market. But I think the most underrated feature is the transparency mode. Many headphones have this capability, but they make you feel like your head is in a fishbowl. Amplify your own voice while making ambient noise sound unnatural. With the   AirPods Pro, many have found that transparency mode sounds exactly like it does in real life. And that makes them even more convenient for quickly ordering at Starbucks or listening to someone talk.

So, with two AirPod models under its belt, Apple prepared for its biggest launch yet in December 2020 with the AirPods Max. These were supra-aural headphones priced at $550. Significantly more expensive than competing headphones from Sony or Bose, which sold for around $350. But despite that $200 premium, the AirPods Max sold out just hours after their release. Customers who did not order the product immediately were forced to wait up to three months for delivery. And that resulted in high resale values ​​on websites like StockX. But what caused all this commotion to begin with? Well, I think it was a combination of factors.

First, rumors circulated for over a year that Apple was creating over-ear headphones. Which makes the hype around AirPods Max reach more than any previous model. Additionally, they were the first Apple-branded headphones to be offered in different colors. Going back to the original iPod from 2001, there have never been any Apple headphones in any color other than white. But with the AirPods Max, they gave people what they've wanted for years. Headphones in grey, blue, green and pink. But that's just the beginning. The vast majority of over-ear headphones are made of plastic. While the AirPods Max are made of aluminum and stainless steel.

There have also been problems with audio control. Some headphones come to have touch controls, while others have several physical buttons. Both of these things can result in a clunky listening experience. But the AirPods max have only one button and a digital crown. The user does not even have to turn the headphones on or off as they automatically go to sleep mode when not in use. In terms of performance, the AirPods Max have proven to have better sound quality and better noise cancellation than the competition, with the inclusion of the transparency mode that already led the industry with the AirPods Pro.

Although one complaint that the users is with the Smart Case. Typically, over-ear headphones include a hard case with a zipper that protects all the earbuds. But the Smart Case included with the AirPods Max is made of a soft material that only covers the earbuds, leaving the headband exposed. Many reviews have criticized this design decision, but after using the headphones for two and a half weeks, I have to admit that I like the Smart Case. While people have been hypothesizing about the fabric headband being damaged by exposure, I have not found that to be the case at all.

The fabric is protected by the stainless steel frame, which is the most durable part of the headphones. And it's convenient to take out of your bag, as the exposed headband doubles as a handle. But the biggest advantage of the Smart Case that I haven't heard anyone mention is that you don't need to change the size of the headband to fit it inside. With my Bose QC 35s, I had to retract the telescoping headband to store them in their case. But when I use the Smart case, I never have to spend time readjusting the headband. Another issue people have with the AirPods Max is the missing power button, which is rumored to cause excessive battery drain when not in use.

Now the Smart Case solves this problem by making the headphones go into an ultra-low power consumption mode when they are inside. But what if you don't want to bother with the case? Well, there has been a lot of speculation and misinformation regarding the power management of the AirPods Max. In fact, so much so that Apple created this support page to clear things up. Under "Learn more about battery life," it says you can expect to get 20 hours of use out of the AirPods Max, or an hour and a half from a five-minute charge. This is the important part.

If you put your AirPods Max down and leave them still for 5 minutes, they go into low power mode to preserve battery power. After 72 hours without using the Smart Case, your AirPods Max enter a lower power mode that disables Bluetooth and Find My to further conserve battery power. If you place your AirPods Max in the Smart Case when you're not using them, they immediately go into low power mode to conserve battery power. After 18 hours in the Smart Case, your AirPods Max enter an ultra-low power mode that turns off Bluetooth and Find My and maximizes battery life. Now, even with this new information, some people think Apple should have added a power button to make things simpler.

But again, after using these headphones for two and a half weeks, I love that I never have to think about their power status. As with previous AirPods, you wear them when you want and take them off when you're done. It offers a comfortable, friction-free experience like you've never had before with a pair of over-ear headphones. Now it's still too early to say if the AirPods Max are a successbox office like previous models, but so far demand has been very strong despite the high price of the product. When it comes to future models, rumors predict an update to the AirPods Pro this spring, although we're not sure exactly what changes will be made.

This is the story of AirPods, thanks for watching until the end and don't forget to subscribe to help decide what topics I cover in the future.