What is good design?
AirPods vs. EarPods


Wireless. Effortless. Magical.
This is the opening description of the AirPods per Apple’s website. The in-ear wireless headphone game has been attempted by many over the last several years — with results falling on deaf ears (intentional pun)… In comes Apple’s design prowess and knack for giving customers what they need, and we have the AirPods. Finally Apple aficionados can free themselves of their white, cord headphones and stroll cavalierly with their white, cord-free headphones.
Physics meets design execution.
To-date, the issue with in-ear headphones, EarPods or ear buds— and especially those that are wireless, is the rapidity at which they fall out of one’s ears. Apple figured out the dimensions to fit nearly all consumers’ ears with just the right receipe of headphone size, proportion and balanced weight within ear so as to fit into place. Walking, running testing and approved; burpees out (who needs them anyway).
Not only is the AirPod headphone designed to a tee, but its case is excellent. You can start simply placing the pod in and it snaps automatically into place — design meets gravity. Additionally, the case serves as the charger for which Apple did something wallet-friendly and utilized the same charging port as the iPhone. In fact your AirPods come with an an extra USB. Bonus.
AirPods have their own batteries which are charged by the case, and the case is then charged by charger cable, providing double battery life opportunities. Double bonus.
Finally, AirPods were designed such that they turn on not once out of the case, but once they touch your ears, providing the listener a satisfying jingle sound to let he/she know they are engaged. Just as easily, when one pulls an AirPod out of their ear — music pauses — and the moment its placed back in — starts playing again... Amazing!
Cord. Tangling.

You’re telling me we no longer have to deal with headphone cords getting tangled in themselves — and cords getting tangled amidst all your personal items?! Yes!!
A few weeks back I was on the elevator with another apt dweller, me in process of untangling my headphones in their infinite loop and my neighbor looking calm, cool and unbothered as he pulled out his AirPod case and slipped the head phones into his ears seemingly all within one motion… Surely as he watched on he must have been taking pity on my pour, tangled soul.
The MBA in me is now thinking about time value of money and time wasted over the last 10+ years dealing with cords. Negative NPV.
Lifestyle.
As a former city dweller, I am frequently seen walking around campus or downtown Austin listening to music and/or making phone calls while on the go (efficiency!). Often, and particularly while on phone calls — I found calls would be disconnected with the cord dislodging from the phone while in my pocket…. The point is to be hands-free, not hands-free on one end but still having to hold or hoister your phone!
Digital. Freedom… (in theory).
As someone who attempts to not be on their phone 24/7, in order to listen to music, podcasts or to speak on the phone I would have to keep my phone nearby — range of which limited by the cord (leash) of my headphones. This never helped with my attempt to disengage from relentless phone usage — as studies prove, if a phone is in sight one is much more likely to reach to use it.
With AirPods I can keep my phone tucked away in my backpack or purse while I listen and speak. For someone walking 30 minutes to school (no hills both ways, but blistering heat), no longer having to have the phone ill-fitting in my pocket or the cord wrapping around my body into my backpack — is a game changer for focused, uninterrupted walking.
Not all that glitters is gold; however.
One of the downsides of AirPods — is unlike my other pair of wireless wrap-around headphones (SMS Audio by 50 Cent, yes), I cannot adjust volume or advance to next song without having to pull out my iPhone. Which isn’t dissimilar to the experience with regular headphones; however, as we are improving products and evaluating customer preferences— there still lies the requirement to have to pull out a secondary device. I am waiting until AI technology is so far advanced that I can think ‘skip’ in my mind and it skips. (Enter chip invasion.)
I won’t touch much on price…. AirPods aren’t accessible to all with a price tag of $159, but fortunately thoughtful birthday gifts can make this a reality for hopefuls :)
Peace out cords.
To conclude, I am pleasantly surprised by how much freedom, and how quickly, AirPods introduced in my daily life and am thoroughly enjoying a less tangled, hands-free, phone-free (reduced) stroll around town.

