AirPods have become prevalent in more places at UNC and beyond — on campus, in the gym and virtually every place people enjoy music. Apple's wireless headphones have captured a lot of attention, even online in memes.
Despite the frequent jokes and $159 price tag, these wireless earbuds are selling at the fastest growing rate out of all the products Apple offers, according to a research note released by Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities.
Many might wonder what has caused these earbuds to go viral — or why Apple sold 14 to 16 million pairs of AirPods in 2018 when free wired headphones come with an iPhone purchase.
Gary Kayye, a professor in the UNC School of Media and Journalism who teaches courses in new media and advertising, said he thinks Apple has created a calculated plan to market this product as both stylish and functional, which may explain the mass popularity.
Kayye said the decision made to hire Angela Ahrendts, previous CEO of Burberry from 2006 to 2014, as the senior vice president of retail at Apple Inc. was done to impact the future of fashion through AirPods. He said Apple intentionally tried to capitalize on AirPods as a more fashionable look compared to wired headphones.
“She has devised a plan to make these a status symbol, and she is doing a very good job,” Kayye said. “This is not an accident that these are becoming a status symbol.”
Apart from the style aspect, Apple has also focused on the functional side of the wireless earbuds with the AirPods staying in the ear during walks, workouts or bike rides and having a battery life of about five hours on one charge.
Kyle Ryan, a sophomore who has used AirPods since 2017, said he thinks they are a great product because the earbuds can connect with all devices that have Bluetooth, do not fall out with movement and even have better sound than the Apple wire headphones.
Ryan said though he thinks AirPods are convenient and more efficient, they can also hinder human interaction when students wear them during class lectures and keep them in when talking to others. He said so many people are turning to AirPods because of the attention and status associated with the product.
