> let's take a trip down the street to the teriyaki place close to work. EVERY TAKEOUT MEAL THEY SERVE generates more garbage than my earphones
This is a superficial analysis of waste, because it only takes into account the finished product, not the production process.
Why would AirPods usage be a useful model for estimating the expected lifetime of Powerbeats pros?
What other data do I have to go on? PBPs have only been out for like a year. I figure I'll use the new ones in patterns similar to the old ones. PBPs have a bigger battery, so if I get two years out of AirPods it's not unreasonable to expect the same or more out of PBPs.
EDIT: another comment prompted me to explain better. Money aside, for a bit of trash I get two years of entertainment, a quality experience, more enjoyable runs, something to listen to on my commute, a voice assistant for when my hands are full. All for a little pile of garbage after a few years. Now let's take a trip down the street to the teriyaki place close to work. EVERY TAKEOUT MEAL THEY SERVE generates more garbage than my earphones. If not the lithium batteries, for sure more plastic by weight or volume (let's not forget the styrofoam, either). For something that's going to be forgotten and floating in the toilet tomorrow morning.
I don't eat at the teriyaki place anymore for the above reasons. Leave me the hell alone about my headset choices. /EDIT
Though with a minute of thought, I'm pretty sure I could mount a reasonable argument for disposable, but smart, earphones reducing my footprint. But that's a longer discussion and beside the point. EDIT: for one example, see user ogre_codes experience with Walkmans.