How Apple Can Take Its Headphones To the Next Level

redletterdave (2493036) writes "Apple is one of the biggest headphone makers in the world thanks to those signature white earbuds that have shipped with every iPod, iPhone, and iPad since 2001. But even two years after earbuds became 'EarPods,' the design could still be improved — and competitors are taking notice. Amazon recently unveiled a new pair of in-ear headphones that are magnetic, tangle-free and $5 cheaper than Apple's $30 EarPods, while smaller startups are promoting their own wireless and customizable 3D-printed earbuds. But Apple has an ace up its sleeve, in the form of patents for a set of headphones with 'one or more integrated physiological sensors' designed to help users keep track of their body stats."

Seriously?

[Frosty Piss]

buy Beats

Read the reviews... Beats might be the Hipster headphone du jour, but on the quality vs price curve, it doesn't work out. Sure, if you want to look "hip" and "happin'n" and "young, dumb, and full of cum", buy Beats. Or you could buy a decent pair of headphones.

sensors

[blackraven14250]

Why would the writer think that adding body sensors are an answer, instead of improving the fucking sound?

Re:sensors

[haggus71]

So true. They are the crappiest headphones out there. I can get a pair of Panasonic ear buds for under ten bucks that sound worlds better.

Re:sensors

[blackraven14250]

I don't usually use earbuds except to work out, but I have a $20 pair of Sony earbuds that sound better than Apple's. It's absurd that the article doesn't mention a single thing about sound quality, and goes into how easily the cords tangle and body sensors like those are the things people care about. You need to get sound quality right before you can even think about all the other ancillary shit to try and sell more of them.

Re:Here's The Real Question...

[Anonymous Coward]

Do you have any actual evidence that Apple or somebody affiliated with Apple has paid or otherwise compensated Timothy for placing this submission on the front page?

If you're going to make such allegations, please provide at least some evidence or proof that astroturfing is indeed taking place.

Astroturfing is a real phenomenon, but it's also important not to "cry wolf" about it. False alarms, like I suspect yours is in this case, make it harder to expose actual astroturfing when it does happen and can be proven.

Re:Here's The Real Question...

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm somewhat surprised to see the parent comment modded down to -1. While I could see that sort of mismoderation happening at a shitfest like Reddit, where reasonable thought is surely not present, Slashdot usually managed to maintain a higher standard. The modding should be reversed in this case. The unsubstantiated claim made by Mr. Frosty Piss should be modded down, while the comment questioning his unsubstantiated claim should be modded up. Backing up one's claim with evidence is a basic tenet of both justice and science, as is holding people responsible when they fail to do so. The Slashdot community used to hold such values in high esteem. But then again, I'm also not totally surprised by the mismoderation. The quality of the people here has taken a pretty bad hit lately, especially after all of the beta nonsense drove away a lot of the long-time users.

Re:Step 1

[TemperedAlchemist]

Skull Candy is crap. Beats is crap. Skull Candy at least doesn't charge an arm and a leg for it.

Re: Seriously?

[bill_mcgonigle]

They can improve the quality but the real deal is that Apple is ditching the 3.5mm jack for a digital, DRM, patent-encumbered connector. Beats will have it - if you want the cool headphones you gotta give up your Android. The royalties will enforce exclusively.

Apple has to do *something* to stop its marketshare slide - that they didn't put the $3B into R&D tells you how desperate the internal numbers look.

Re:EarPods were shit

[NatasRevol]

And people make fun of others spending too much money on Apple?

Exactly how big do you think the market is for $500-$1000 headphones?

Do you buy Monster cables too?

Re: Step 1

[chipschap]

There's nothing that compares with Sony Professional headphones, and they're less expensive than you'd expect. Normally I hate Sony but the pro headphones are one heck of a product line.

Of course, they're ... heh heh heh .... "somewhat" larger and heavier than earbuds, and as for looking hip ... not. Unless the audio engineer look is somehow "in." Be sure to wear thick glasses with black frames.

Re:Here's The Real Question...

[Sarten-X]

Slashdot's moderation system sucks. It's the worst system there is, except for everything else that's been tried.

Re:i'd be happy if...

[Stormwatch]

How about: use headphones, not earbuds.

Re:how about we stick to making the basics better

[jones_supa]

While it might be happening, that kind of intentional weakening is actually very rare. I also suspect that that Samsung incident wasn't intentionally planned. We simply have better capability to engineer things accurately to a lower price point, which also leads to more flimsy materials.