Neil Cybart:
After using AirPods for the past three months, one takeaway relates to pricing. It is clear that Apple is underpricing AirPods. While this statement may sound outlandish considering that a pair of EarPods is included in every iPhone box, AirPods are not just any pair of headphones.
Yes, I do think the statement sounds outlandish. But reading the post, I do think Neil is on to something here (as he usually is). Apple seems to be shifting away from their typical high margin Apple Tax strategy, at least when it comes to AirPods and Apple Watch.
Contrary to the conclusions found in most headphone buying guides, AirPods should not be compared to lower-priced, wired headphones. These buying guides not only lean on sound quality to unfairly shortchange truly wireless headphones, but also misidentify why consumers want to buy wireless headphones in the first place. AirPods’ primary value proposition isn’t found with sound quality but rather with not having any wires. Accordingly, the product should be compared to other truly wireless headphones.
And those products are almost universally priced higher than $159. Same holds true for Apple Watch. Nice analysis here.
Not only that – but it feels like there is a huge potential with AirPods in the future. They could slowly grow into a standalone computing platform themselves. Imagine them having wifi or even cellular connections in the future. When looking at them as computers in your ears, suddenly the price seems excellent for what you’re getting.
completely agree – still got the 1st Gen watch on everyday. As much as I wanted to keep the AirPods, I didn’t because they don’t fit my ears 🙁
Typical comment from someone who is clueless. AirPods are aspirational products. They’re already priced correctly. Any increase in price just emphasizes their elitist appeal.; As you may have noticed, elitist appeal is not the fashion statement of 2017.
When surveyed by various sites, the price of the airpods is the deterrent for most who opt not to purchase. Apple’s happy with its price. Cybart is just another analyst with hot air in his mouth.
Completely agree with Neil. Airpods are AMAZING! Easily worth more money. And the current price is making me consider using them for excerise and not worrying about them breaking from sweat because I’ll just buy another pair.
Yawn, they are the cheapest in their category. Give me a break anti-Apple troll.
I think the key point here is that people routinely (and not just with AirPods or even just with Apple products) evaluate things on the wrong criteria. If I care mostly about sound quality no wireless headset will do as well as the same money spent on a wired headset. But if my purchase criterion is that I want something wireless then everything changes and all of the wired sets are out of the running because they don’t meet my primary buying criterion.
Wish I could use AirPods, but I have hearing aids, so not a thing yet. I rely on my good old wired Grados. Perhaps some day I will find Bluetooth hearing aids with great sound quality. Not betting on it–the Bluetooth dongle I use (stereo!) is limited to working with the aids they are made for.
Although I have used Bluetooth headsets with my aids, their size is too large for use in public and, especially, not legal for use driving.
As always, love The Loop.