Airpods

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AirPods are wireless earbuds designed by Apple. They were first debuted on September 07, 2016, alongside the iPhone 7 and released on December 13, 2016.

AirPods

Basic Information
Release Year	2016-12-13
Product Type	Wireless earbuds
In Production	Yes
Official Website	https://apple.com/airpods

In addition to playing audio, the AirPods contain a microphone that filters out background noise as well as built-in accelerometers and optical sensors capable of detecting taps and pinches (e.g. double-tap or pinch to pause audio) and placement within the ear, which enables automatic pausing of audio when they are taken out of the ear.

On March 20, 2019, Apple released the second-generation AirPods, which feature the H1 chip, longer talk time, and hands-free "Hey Siri" support. A higher-end version includes a charging case that supports Qi charging.

On October 26, 2021, Apple released the third-generation AirPods, which feature an external redesign with shorter stems similar to AirPods Pro, spatial audio, IPX4 water resistance, longer battery life, and MagSafe charging capability.

On September 9, 2024, Apple announced the AirPods 4, which feature the H2 chip, Bluetooth 5.3, and a USB-C charging case. A higher end model features active noise cancellation and a charging case that supports Qi and Apple Watch chargers.

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Consumer impact summary

AirPods are designed to be unrepairable even by Apple, leading to them ending up as e-waste after a few years of use. The replacement of the lithium-ion batteries used by the AirPods requires the destruction of the outer casing, adding to the waste problem. Up until September 22, 2023, Apple used their proprietary Lightning connector on the AirPods' charging case.

The lithium-ion batteries in AirPods can see significant degradation over time, with two-year-old sets lasting for less than half of the advertised five hours. Apple has a program to service batteries and purchase replacement individual AirPods and charging cases. The replacement of one or both AirPods or the charging case has a lower price with AppleCare+ than without. Apple offers battery servicing for free with AppleCare+ and for a fee without. However, this is just a replacement service, as AirPods cannot be repaired without destroying their outer case, resulting in a 0/10 repairability score

Overview of concerns that arise from the conduct towards users of products part of the product line.

Touch on relevant topics like:

• User Freedom
• User Privacy
• Business Model
• Market Control

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Incidents

This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product line. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the Airpods category.

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Example incident one (date)

Main article: link to the main articleShort summary of the incident (could be the same as the summary preceding the article).

Example incident two (date)

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Incidents affecting all of the company's products can be found in the company article: Company article

Products

• AirPods (1st generation) (December 13, 2016)
• AirPods (2nd generation) (March 20, 2019)
• AirPods Pro (1st generation) (October 30, 2019)
• AirPods Max (December 15, 2020)
• AirPods (3rd generation) (October 26, 2021)
• AirPods Pro 2 (previously 2nd generation) (September 23, 2022)
• AirPods 4/ANC (September 20, 2024)

This is a list of the products with articles on this wiki.

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See also

Link to relevant theme articles or product lines with similar incidents.

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References

---. “Every Apple AirPods Generation: A Full History of Release Dates - IGN.” IGN, 2 Mar. 2025, www.ign.com/articles/all-apple-airpods-release-dates-in-order.