Apple charging $69 to replace lost buds for owners of AirPods
Dealing with a lost AirPod will be an expensive proposition, though still slightly less than half the cost of buying a new pair, according to an updated Apple support document.
Replacing a lost or damaged AirPod -- or the charging case -- will cost $69 in the U.S., the company says. A complete AirPod set normally retails for $159.
By default the fully wireless headphones come with a one-year warranty, which covers not just audio defects but any battery problems. Outside of this period, standard repairs are $69, while battery service is $49.
Apple launched AirPod sales on Tuesday after a long delay. Whether due to low production numbers, high demand, or both, stock is already in short supply, resulting in six-week shipping delays -- longer even than for a top-of-the-line MacBook Pro.
The AirPods feature Apple's W1 wireless chip, which offers extended Bluetooth range, and simpler pairing on Apple devices, including the ability to pair with multiple devices simultaneously. The W1 is also in two of Apple's Beats products, the Solo3 and Powerbeats3, which shipped this fall.
Replacing a lost or damaged AirPod -- or the charging case -- will cost $69 in the U.S., the company says. A complete AirPod set normally retails for $159.
By default the fully wireless headphones come with a one-year warranty, which covers not just audio defects but any battery problems. Outside of this period, standard repairs are $69, while battery service is $49.
Apple launched AirPod sales on Tuesday after a long delay. Whether due to low production numbers, high demand, or both, stock is already in short supply, resulting in six-week shipping delays -- longer even than for a top-of-the-line MacBook Pro.
The AirPods feature Apple's W1 wireless chip, which offers extended Bluetooth range, and simpler pairing on Apple devices, including the ability to pair with multiple devices simultaneously. The W1 is also in two of Apple's Beats products, the Solo3 and Powerbeats3, which shipped this fall.
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Unlike most of the other Schiller pricing decisions these days. I'm reminded one time of a friend from years ago who was learning his trade and a woman in a wealthy neighbourhood ask his boss to quote her a price for a new roof on her house and he said he'd go out to the van and make some calculations (after he looked at her house). So my friend was present in the van and he said the guy thought what this job should cost (a fair price) and when he got that figure he doubled it and then added on a bit. Full sure she might say no, she said, "good, when can you start". Sometimes when I see the price of things coming out of Cupertino these days I imagine Schiller doing the same: fair price, now let's double it and add on a bit: €114 to cover the front and back of an iPad mini 4 in silicone. They should offer a leather Apple Smart Case for this product and it should be €49 (max €59). They don't offer such an option purely out of greed. Same with their phones, the flagship models keep creeping up every year over here and while vat has increased by 2% here the $ is far more valuable toward the euro than it was a few years back. My sister asked me if I was getting an iPhone 7 (did you see the new iPhone? Are you getting one?) and I laughed out loud. Starts at €779—almost an €800 starting price here. /rant
I assume only one device at a time can stream content to the AirPods.
Might not really be worth it from Apple's perspective to put together an AppleCare+ plan for AirPods.
Might not really be worth it from the end-users' perspective even if Apple did have AppleCare+ for AirPods.
On how exchange rates change that, I can certainly empathize. The CAD$ has fallen significantly against the USD over last two years, and now Apple products are much more expensive. However, unless I go to a US location without sales tax, I will not be saving any money by buying in USD and bringing it back. I check all the time. In other words, their pricing (mostly) matches up with the exchange rate of the day of product release - with Apple hedging a bit.
In Canada, we have an explicit sales tax, so it is easy to compare. In European countries, I understand that the VAT is buried in the product price, so I suppose that makes it more difficult to compare. Anyways, in the end it is 90% about exchange rate, with 10% Apple hedging on that.
Of course that can hurt Apple. How many lost sales are they encountering due to the higher USD, and Apple not willing to keep prices down in local currency? It is partly Apple's decisions to maintain foreign margins, but the real driver is the USD at 14 year high against many other currencies.
I guess my point is that this isn't Phil Schiller petting his cat and coming up with ridiculous ideas on how to gouge customers - the exchange rates for products would be set by different guys.
Also, aren't these L/R specific? So it's not like you can buy one AirPod for $69 and swap it in and out of the mix, as I had hoped. Imagine having a third AirPod always charged, so that you can charge one for 15 min and get another 3 hours while continuing to listen, and then charge the other for 15 min and get another 3 hours, ready to go for the next charging swap out, without missing a beat -- for a full 24 hours without a full recharge of the everything, But that doesn't look like the case. Still 15 min downtime for every 3 hours is not a big deal.