Apple introduces $79 in-ear headphones
By Donald Melanson 
posted September 9th 2008 12:09PM
posted September 9th 2008 12:09PM
In case you missed 'em among all the iPod hubbub, Apple also introduced some new in-ear headphones today, which should go some way to improving its reputation among more discerning listeners. These boast two drivers each -- a woofer and a tweeter -- and come with three earbuds to ensure a proper fit. They sure are running up against some stiff competition at the $79 mark though -- but hey, they're white.
This is crazy - the apple site mentions no iPhone compatibility *at all*: "The remote and mic are supported only by iPod nano (4th generation), iPod classic (120GB), and iPod touch (2nd generation). Audio is supported by all iPod models."
These would be ideal for the iPhone. What's the idea?
But look at the picture of the box on the website: You can see the plug. Dosen't that look like the 3G or 2G iPhone plug? http://store.apple.com/us/product/MA850?mco=MTcyODA3Mw http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1459/as-images.apple.com/is/image/AppleInc/MA850_AV5?wid=1200&hei=1200&fmt=jpeg&qlt=95&op_sharpen=0&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.5,0.5,0,0&iccEmbed=0&layer=comp
Look at the website's picture, it looks like the iPhone plug: http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1459/as-images.apple.com/is/image/AppleInc/MA850_AV5?wid=1200&hei=1200&fmt=jpeg&qlt=95&op_sharpen=0&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.5,0.5,0,0&iccEmbed=0&layer=comp
$79 just so you can "put it in her ear"?
"...$79 mark though -- but hey, they're white."
They won't be for long.
Will this support the 3g iPhone?
Looking at the frequency response charts on apple's website, do these things look a 'little' bass heavy?
I'll stick with my Shure's for now......... I used to have a pair of the old Apple In-Ear's but they had terrible bass, I returned them. But with 2 drivers these should be better.
Another audiophile quality offering from apple? Are these replacing Steve's ER-4Ss like the ipod hi-fi replaced his home stereo?
Id say that a price-point that far below any other offering pretty much guarantees these things are going to be terrible. Tech doesn't all of a sudden get cheap because apple decides to put out a product...usually it gets more expensive. Not that, that will stop apple fans from raving about them, I still get people telling me their apple ear-buds are amazing.
I commented about what I had purchased from earsound.com once before when UE was bought out by Logitech. My feeling is that nothing will be as comfortable as a mold of your own ear which is what I have. Apple says that they will give you 3 earbud attachments to insure proper fit. The only way to insure proper fit is to have a custom mold of your ear.
First of all, as anyone who's tried knows, good headphones make a huge difference on an ipod, even at 192.
Second, is it possible that since Apple will probably outsell Shure or Etymotic 10 to 1 they could build these for half the price of their competitors? Maybe. A pair of twin-armature phones is currently about double $79, and has no remote or mic. Or it might just be the equivalent of Sennheiser CX-300s (passable) with remote and mic.
That said, I think Shure at least builds to a price and could cut their prices if need be.
These do not fit my ears at all..none of the three fittings work? why is that Apple ? are you discriminating against us?
These are a joke. I mean, they have a button and a mic, but the Apple web page says they are NOT compatible with the iPhone 3G? And check out the frequency response shown on the same Apple web page and look at the high frequency rolloff - they think this is GOOD?
Do they come in black? their is no way I'm wearing white headphones in London, I might as well wear a t-shirt that says "Please mug me, I have a new iPod"
Just going to help get a point across that's been mentioned a few times:
2 drivers DOES NOT mean that it will sound better than any decent single driver headphone, even around and below $79. Just like an 8 MP camera isn't necessarily better than a 6 MP (that depends on the lens and quality of the sensor). However, it does work wonders for the marketing team and will probably sell by the bucketload.
For the comment about them being bass heavy - probably are but then Bose boosts it's headphones in the bass and treble regions too, with a lot of people thinking better/more bass is better quality sound.
It's certainly worth waiting to see what these sound like, since I guess the remote will be useful for some but until an independent review site/informed users gets their hands on them, no point in saying how good/bad they are.
Just going to help get a point across that's been mentioned a few times:
2 drivers DOES NOT mean that it will sound better than any decent single driver headphone, even around and below $79. Just like an 8 MP camera isn't necessarily better than a 6 MP (that depends on the lens and quality of the sensor). However, it does work wonders for the marketing team and will probably sell by the bucketload.
For the comment about them being bass heavy - probably are but then Bose boosts it's headphones in the bass and treble regions too, with a lot of people thinking better/more bass is better quality sound.
It's certainly worth waiting to see what these sound like, since I guess the remote will be useful for some but until an independent review site/informed users gets their hands on them, no point in saying how good/bad they are.
oops, double post, sorry!
This is truly interesting. I know I'm not alone having sat staring after the conclusion of the product intros absolutely bewildered at how completely pathetic it was- no bump in storage on the Touch, just a fib about it being thinner (oh wait- it FEELS thinner he meant), and a retro-Nano with an accelerometer???
BUT, if the REAL 'stealth announcement' was one that Steve decided to let us connect the dots for on our own (a VOIP phone device that frees us from the shackles of the phone companies), then I'm sold- and I mean SEVERAL times over! :)
If this pans out to be true, it also sheds a bit more light on what also seemed to me to be an overly modest price point reduction across the line. But who wouldn't pay $300 for a pseudo-iPhone you don't have to pay a monthly fee for?!?!
Please, please please be true. I summon all geeks, our jailbreak friends and the almighty Ryan Block to find out once and for all. For me, it's the difference between buying nothing and selling my now uninspired AAPL stock OR buying 3 iPod Touches and doubling my position.
Great... headphones for the worst sounding pmp on the market.
it's October........nearing the middle of the month, even. Still no release date, and still no official word as to whether these work with iPh 3G?
Any idea if they'll still be released by "October"? It's the 30th.
Darn! I wish Apple would have introduced these BEFORE I bought the Bose In-Ear Headphones! These look good, and I they should sound great. Maybe in a couple years...
It's not October anymore? What's the deal!?
I guess they didn't specify which year...
I've been waiting for these forever. My Shure SE110s got stolen and my current iPhone headphones (which I've been using in the short-term) are on their last legs. I really want to buy these but it's November and they STILL aren't out. What gives, Steve?
Come on Apple quit sticking...we want those headphones!
I too have been waiting for the release. Their Web page says "soon". Anyone know what "soon means?
I've been waiting on these for a while now, I assumed they were right around the corner, but it turns out they're still not out.
My headphones broke about a week after these were first announced, so I figured I look for them again after noticing the pain in my ears from the normal Apple headphones.
Will the microphone work on the Touch? It would be kind of nice to get Skype working on it in wifi locations... plus just simple voice memos.
whats the point of these headphones if the Ipods sound quality is mediocre. They are like trying to cure the headache by chopping off the head.
Of the many forms that snobbery takes, audiophile snobbery is among the most ridiculous. Most of the world's great music has been made by people who either lived before the advent of audio products, or who could never afford to own them. Becoming an audiophile is as difficult and creative as spending money.