In addition to the new iPhone and iPod devices unveiled by Apple last week, the company also released new and improved earbud-style headphones. Now called EarPods, Apple's new headphones are the third of three generations worth of designs. According to the company, the engineers behind the EarPods tested 124 different prototypes on over 600 people, resulting in a more durable, comfortable and stable design.
As usual, the DIY repair gurus over at iFixit have decided to perform another teardown, confirming a more durable design that is unfortunately near-impossible to self-repair. According to iFixit, the controller inside the earbuds is better sealed, making it less susceptible to water damage and also features strain-relief wrapping to help extend the life and durability of the cable.
Additionally, the previously plastic speaker cones have been replaced with a paper model, making it a little more difficult to blow the drivers and potentially providing the source of Apple's advertised improved mid-range and bass response. Overall, the new EarPods can definitely be seen as an improvement, but the only downside is the lack of repairability. iFixit says sourcing the parts is "next to impossible", so if something does go wrong, you'd have to pay another $30 for a new pair. For the full teardown analysis, head on over to iFixit.
Contact Us for News Tips, Corrections and Feedback
