Apple's new EarPods will ship with iPhone 5, new iPods

Quote:

Originally Posted by AppleInsider 

Apple said it has shipped more than 600 million sets of its previous earbuds to date.

And about 400 million users detest them.

I hope they made the cord 6-12" longer, this is one of the things that always pissed me off about the earbuds (other than the crappy performance and ill-fitting earbuds). It's tough to go running when the cord keeps pulling out of my ears when my iPhone is in a belt-pouch.

Originally Posted by akf2000 
gonna suck

Yeah, that's not trolling at all. Certainly doesn't invalidate everything you say in the future.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kolchak 

And about 400 million users detest them.

hey, come on now, this is surely a gross exaggeration

it's more like 6.4 billion non-users detest them due to the infuriating tsst tsst tsst noise bleeding out of them, plus 550 million users who can also hear the tsst tsst tsst of other users bleeding back through them

Apples website says they sound like headphones that cost "hundreds more". Very very skeptical about that claim, but cautiously optimistic. 

Early tests from tech sites like Engadget aren't encouraging. They still don't isolate the sound. You'll still hear the latest Justin Bieber song from your neighbour on buses, trains and planes. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogifan 

Wow no one has gotten their hands on these but already know they're going to suck? What is this Engadget.com?

There's a hands-on on Engadget.

To all those people saying they will suck:

For crying out loud, they're earbuds that are INCLUDED with your purchase.

They're not $300 headphones, or even $50 headphones for that matter.

If they're better than the previous version, that's a good thing, right? Stop complaining. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeassociate 

Interesting that the one iPod Shuffle that really needs them, the 3rd Gen with no button whatsoever, is listed as not compatible on the product page.
see here: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD827/apple-earpods-with-remote-and-mic

Apple is attempting to wipe that Shuffle from existence.

Originally Posted by Pendergast 
Apple is attempting to wipe that Shuffle from existence.

I doubt that. If they're willing to keep around the iPod classic, which they updated in no way whatsoever, the iPod shuffle, which they did update, is sticking around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pendergast 

 

They're not $300 headphones, or even $50 headphones for that matter.

 

If they're better than the previous version, that's a good thing, right? Stop complaining. 

Better than "bad" doesn't make it "good" and that's inexcusable for a company that claims it always strives for the best. And there are earbuds and canalphones that have far better sound quality at around $13 retail. For instance, the JVC Air Cushion series or the MEElectronics M9. Surely if Apple sourced them in bulk, they could get them for $5 or maybe even less. Even Koss' The Plug sounds better, and you can get those for as little as $8. It's not like they don't have a very comfortable profit margin on iPhones and iPods. Having crappy earbuds just reinforces the haters' claims that Apple is all about image over function.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pendergast 

If they're better than the previous version, that's a good thing, right? Stop complaining. 

Not if they leak sound just as bad. I always replace mine with something better but I can't trust everyone on my daily commute to do the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kolchak 

And about 400 million users detest them.

I don't think there are that many Zune users.

Cheers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogifan 


Oh so you've used these headphones and know they suck more than cheaper ones? Where did you get your hands on a pair?

Go ahead and keep defending them. I'll be back to see you eat your words in a few weeks, but somehow, I suspect you won't admit to being wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pendergast 

To all those people saying they will suck:

 

For crying out loud, they're earbuds that are INCLUDED with your purchase.

 

They're not $300 headphones, or even $50 headphones for that matter.

 

If they're better than the previous version, that's a good thing, right? Stop complaining. 

Exactly - a $29 set of earphones will, by definition, suck. There's no other possibility. They still may be noticeably better than the old ones. Apple's $79 earphones are pretty good sound-wise (do they still make them?), but they still don't seal in the ear (by design).