When it comes to listening to music, there are two convenient, well-known options: Wireless AirPods or plug-in, wired headphones. Both have their positives and negatives — but which ones should be used?
A recent article by The Washington Post recommends to put away the AirPods and use the “endangered species” known as wired headphones, but this advice may not be for everyone.
Should I be using AirPods?
CNN shared some positive qualities featured in the AirPods Pro models, in particular:
- Excellent connectivity across Apple devices.
- The charging case contains a tracking chip if you lose track of them.
- Personalized spatial, 360-degree sound.
- Option to use motion, touch, press detection and/or voice command.
- Kept fresh with continuing iOS updates.
However, AirPods aren’t all beneficial to consumers, let alone Apple users.
The Washington Post shared that an obvious issue with any sort of wireless headphones is the inconvenience of having to charge them.
If you need or want to travel with them and your AirPods are dead or have limited battery, you might be stuck listening to the sounds of nature or public transportation instead of your tunes.
Not to mention, if you want to get a brand-new pair of 2nd generation AirPods from Apple’s website, it will cost you $249.
The argument for wired headphones
While the wire can be deemed annoying to some, what can be classified as weaknesses for AirPods may be considered strengths for wired headphones.
For one, you don’t have to worry about dead batteries with wired headphones — in fact, there aren’t any present in the products, per The Washington Post.
Today also points out that wired headphones are generally cheaper. Their analysis finds that discount versions of corded headphones can cost as little as $8, whereas Apple’s kind can cost up to $19.
In addition, they found that popular headphone brands such as Beats and Sony sell cheaper versions of wireless headphones than Apple. And wireless headphones can be found for as low as $20 — albeit with limited capabilities.
Which versions sell more?
The examination really starts by recalling when Apple removed the option of a headphone jack from iPhones in 2016, according to The Washington Post. If one wanted to use wired headphones with their iPhone, they would have to buy an alternative adapter — or “dongle” — to do so.
Yet despite the obstacle, wired headphones were found by a 2016 survey to have sold more than their counterparts, per Business Insider.
But to this day, the wireless trend has not stopped domestically. Ben Arnold, a consumer electronics analyst for industry research firm Circana, shared to The Washington Post that 81 million wireless headphones were purchased by Americans last year, as opposed to only 39 million wired versions.
So which kind of headphones should I get?
There isn’t a right or wrong type of answer to this; rather, what headphones you decide to use should be based on personal taste, cost and quality, among many other factors.
If you’re an iPhone user who wants to have the popular, unique abilities of AirPods, then AirPods may be most appropriate. If the cost is too much, there are cheaper, yet quality options of wireless headphones available.
If you want an even cheaper option and you don’t want to deal with Bluetooth issues or dead batteries, then wired may be the way to go.
Apple and other headphone companies have learned to adapt with this issue, as some phones and even headphones allow users to plug in USB-C adapters for music, if desired, per The Washington Post.
The reality is, buying headphones and on-ear/over-ear headphones should be determined by what you want and are willing to spend — because it’s mostly a fashion statement.
Lisa Z. Morgan, head of the apparel design department at the Rhode Island School of Design, shared to Today regarding the significance of them in day-to-day life:
“The degree to which (a wearable item) signals your tastes, identities, sensibilities, what you’re standing up for, is fundamental as to why it has worked so well and why it’s such a measure of what’s happening culturally.”