Back in 2016, Apple introduced AirPods. They were one of the first pair of truly wireless
headphones, with no wire connecting the two earbuds together. But this cutting edge technology
didn’t come cheap. The AirPods were priced at $159, which caused many people online to dismiss
the headphones. Since you could buy a wired pair with much better sound quality for the same price.
The design of AirPods were also mocked, being compared to Q-tips and tooth brush heads.
Commenters online were certain that no one would want to wear such ridiculous-looking headphones.
But as with most Apple haters, they turned out to be 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 the AirPods. This is Greg with Apple Explained and I’d like to thank Skillshare for sponsoring
this video. This was the first place topic of the last voting poll, and if you didn’t get to
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Alright now the AirPod’s history may not be particularly long, stretching back
to just 2016. But it is dense, filled with three new product releases and one refresh.
So let’s start at the beginning. At an Apple Special Event in September 2016. Everyone was
expecting the iPhone 7’s introduction, which ended up being controversial to say the least. But what
we didn’t expect was a new Apple accessory called AirPods. They were actually introduced right after
we found out about the iPhone’s missing headphone jack. So you can see why some people were a little
suspicious about Apple’s intentions. Since they essentially created a problem that didn't exist
and immediately provided a $159 solution. I don’t actually subscribe to that idea personally,
but it was a sentiment shared among many in the tech community at the time. And it’s important
to understand since it effected people’s judgement of the AirPods. Some were immediately put off that
Apple was trying to manipulate users into buying their quote “overpriced” AirPods. So they used
any justification possible to dismiss the product and advise others not to buy it. Common arguments
included “well you can buy wired headphone with way better sound quality than AirPods for the same
price.” And “oh my gosh people are going to lose those tiny earbuds right after they buy them.”
And “no one is going to spend $160 to have q-tips sticking out of their ears.” So long story short,
the most vocal people online were criticizing the AirPods every chance they could. But something
happened that I don’t think even Apple expected. They achieve god-tier meme status. AirPods were
meme-ified more than any other Apple product in history. And it earned Apple an insane amount
of free advertising that instantly made AirPods a well-known product in countries around the world.
But I don’t think memes are enough to make a something successful. A product has to offer
some measurable benefit to users that make 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, cords that got caught on random
things and sent your headphones flying out of your ear. And even limitations on how far you
could go without your device. I think that’s the quality most AirPods haters were underestimating.
People really hated wired earbuds. And once they experienced the convenience, freedom,
and simplicity of truly wireless headphones, they simply couldn’t go back to the tangled,
tethered, wired headphone life. The visceral benefits of AirPods were clear
the moment people used them. And they had no problem paying the $160 price of entry.
So while AirPods were initially seen as an overpriced, silly-looking joke,
they quickly became the most in-demand headphones in the world. Apple couldn’t even keep them in
stock for months after their release. And once they did catch up, demand spiked 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 that no one really expected. After just two years,
Apple surpassed Sony to become the top headphone manufacturer in the world.
All due to the wild popularity of AirPods. Whose users were already hungry for more from Apple.
Some people, myself included, wanted an updated pair with an in-ear design, with others wanted
color options. And Apple gave us none of that in 2019 with the second generation AirPods.
We were disappointed that the design hadn’t changed and there was no black option. But the
gen 2 model did have some nice improvements like an H1 processor that brought voice activated Siri
instead of long tapping on an earbud, Bluetooth 5 connectivity, 50% more talk time on phone calls,
faster device connection times, and the “announce messages with Siri” feature that arrived in iOS
13.2. It allowed Siri to read your incoming messages automatically and even reply to them
just by using your voice. The gen 2 AirPods also included an optional wireless charging case as
a $40 premium, totaling $200. Or you could get them with the standard charging case for $160.
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Alright now while many people were disappointed with the marginal gen 2 AirPods update,
Apple was working quickly behind the scenes to deliver two completely new models. The first
was AirPods Pro released in October 2019. They cost $250 and delivered on two things that many
original AirPods users were requesting; an in-ear design and active noise cancellation.
But those weren’t the only new features. AirPods Pro also had transparency mode that allowed users
to hear everything going on around them, an auto EQ setting, IPX4 water resistance, a wireless
charging case standard, interchangeable silicon ear tips, and a new force sensor on the stems.
Instead of tapping on the earbud to control audio like with the standard AirPods, users
could now squeeze the stem on AirPods Pro. Which many people found to be easier and more reliable.
But there was a common issue with this model when it came to the silicon ear tips. Users found that
when running, chewing, talking, or laughing, the AirPods Pro would slowly slide out of their ear.
Some even had them fall out while sitting still. Which is really strange considering
they sold in-ear headphones back in 2008 that fit securely in almost everyones ear. I was hoping
they’d use a similar design with the AirPods Pro, but they didn’t. Despite this issue, many
people love their AirPods Pro since they deliver incredible sound quality for their size, and the
best noise cancellation of almost any earbud on the market. But I think the most underrated
feature is transparency mode. Many headphones have this capability, but it makes you feel like your
head is in a fish bowl. Amplifying your own voice while making ambient noise sound unnatural. With
AirPods Pro, many have found that transparency mode sounds exactly like real life. And that
makes them even more convenient when quickly ordering at Starbucks or hearing someone talk.
So with two AirPod models under their belt, Apple geared up for their biggest release yet
in December 2020 with the AirPods Max. These were over-ear headphones with a price tag
of $550. Significantly more expensive than competing headphones from Sony or Bose
which retailed for around $350. But despite that $200 premium, the AirPods Max sold out just hours
after being released. Customers who didn’t order the product right away were forced to wait up to
three months for delivery. And that resulted in a high resale values on websites like StockX. But
what caused all of this commotion to begin with? Well, I think it was a combination of factors.
First, rumors of Apple creating over-ear headphones circulated for over a year. Causing
the hype around AirPods Max to reach higher than any model before. Also, it was the first
Apple-branded headphone to be offered in different colors. Going back to the original iPod in 2001,
there has never been any Apple headphone in any color other than white. But with AirPods Max,
they gave people what they’ve wanted for years. Headphones in gray, blue, green, and pink.
But that’s just the beginning. The vast majority of over-ear headphones are made
from plastic. While the AirPods Max are made from aluminum and stainless steel.
There’ve also been issues with audio control. Some headphones are moving to touch controls,
while others have several physical buttons. Both of which can result in a clumsy listening
experience. But AirPods max features just one button and one digital crown. User don’t even
have to turn the headphones on or off since they automatically go to sleep when not in use.
When it comes to performance, AirPods Max has proven to have
better sound quality and better noise cancellation than the competition,
with the inclusion of transparency mode that already led the industry with AirPods Pro.
Although one complaint users have had, is with the Smart Case. Typically,
over-ear headphones include a hard case with a zipper that shields the entire headphone.
But the Smart Case included with AirPods Max is made from a soft material that only covers the ear
cups, 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 creating hypotheticals about the fabric headband being damaged from exposure,
I haven’t found this 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 remove from your bag
since the exposed headband doubles as a handle. But the Smart Case’s biggest advantage that I
haven’t heard anyone mention is that you don’t have to resize 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 using the Smart case, I never have to waste time readjusting the headband.
Another issue people have with AirPods Max is there missing power button, which rumored
to cause excessive battery drain while not in use. Now the Smart Case solves this problem by
causing the headphones to enter an ultra low power mode when inside. But what if you don’t want to
bother with the case? Well, there’s been a lot of speculation and misinformation about AirPods Max
power management. So much, in fact, that Apple created this support page to clear things up.
Under “Learn about battery life” it says you can expect to get 20 hours of use from AirPods Max, or
one and a half hours with a five minute charge. Now this is the important part, If you set your
AirPods Max down and leave them stationary for 5 minutes, they go into a low power mode to preserve
battery charge. After 72 stationary hours out of the Smart Case, your AirPods Max go into a
lower power mode that turns off Bluetooth and Find My to preserve battery charge further. If
you put your AirPods Max in the Smart Case when you're not using them, they go into a low power
mode immediately to preserve battery charge. After 18 hours in the Smart Case, your AirPods Max go
into 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’ve just added a power button
to keep things simple. But, again, after using these headphones for two and a half weeks,
I love never having to think about their power state. Just like with previous AirPods,
you use them when you want, and remove them when you’re done. It makes for a frictionless
and convenient experience the likes I’ve never had with a pair of over-ear headphones.
Now it’s still too early to say whether or not the AirPods Max are a blockbuster hit
like previous models, but so far demand has been very strong despite the product’s high price.
When it comes to future models, rumors are predicting an update to AirPods Pro this spring,
although we’re not sure exactly what changes will be made.
So that is the history of AirPods, thanks for watching till the end,
and don’t forget to subscribe to help decide what topics I cover in the future.