Researching isn't necessarily productive nor does it necessarily confer any real insights. I still am not sure how to research the right Lenovo laptop for me if I were willing to buy one. It's a mess. Same with headphones: in just minutes of research, you're stuck basically reading marketing and reading forum recommendations. Both of which will likely steer many people to Airpods anyways.

You're taking it for granted that you have some specific needs, know how to evaluate the product space for those needs in mere minutes, and are happier with a cheaper product.

Frankly, having owned various bluetooth headphones over the years, what I always love or hate about them isn't something I knew until I owned them. How much I like/hate their button UI, how they fit and stay in my ears, how reliably they pair or handle bad connections, if they can work through my thick kitchen wall so that I can leave my iPhone in the living room, etc. aren't things I can just research ahead of time. Yet they are 99% of what matters to me. Makes sense to me that people just cough up the $160 for the almost unanimously-loved Airpods instead of enduring the trial and error of evaluating buds.

I do get your point but people are just making the same gamble with airpods as they would with any other device if they buy without researching. For example a great many people have issues with airpods even just staying put in their ears (unfortunately earphones aren’t something you’re allowed to try before you buy - at least not in the U.K.).

Though at least with Apple, their brand is more visible and generally more consistent so I can see why people might consider it less of a gamble than buying a comparatively priced audio brand.

You’re an audiophile. Not everyone is.

Indeed but I’ve got my own theories about what’s happening here and I think it’s less to do with people being open to alternative suggestions and more about protectionism of the Apple brand.

FWIW, the world makes a lot more sense once you accept that most other people have wildly different motivations and preferences.

It’s not me who has the issue with preferences though because I’m the one getting downvoted for saying there are plenty of options on the market :)

I actually have no issue with AirPods specifically (aside that they don’t come with a selection of silicon gloves for different ear shapes - that’s standard with every other earphone but it’s an extra cost with Airpods). However this is a technical forum and the last time I checked it was considered proper etiquette to discuss similar products when similar products do exist. Which is what I did.

As an aside, it’s a real pity the media machine is so obsessed with Apple because there are genuinely some really interesting earphones and headphones out there from independent companies making real innovations in audio tech. But they often get overlooked now that Apple have entered the earphone market.

> it’s a real pity the media machine is so obsessed with Apple because there are genuinely some really interesting earphones and headphones out there from independent companies making real innovations in audio tech

This is exactly what I’m talking about. Other people aren’t like you. They care more about what Apple is doing with AirPods than about what other companies are doing with their headphones.

Again, I get that. I’m not criticising people for caring about airpods. However I am getting downvoted for suggesting there’s other products out there. Thus it’s not me who needs to be more considerate of other people’s preferences.

I think you’re judging comment unfairly. This is a technology and business forum so the entire bloody point is to talk about technology and businesses. Yet for some reason when it’s a topic about Apple hardware people get really defensive if you happen to mention the competition (like one normally would in any other HN conversation). That’s not my issue; I’m not the inconsiderate one here.

But like I said, I’m own a lot of Apple hardware myself and do see the appeal of it. I also wouldn’t vote someone down if they offered some input on other hardware out there :)

And the fact I’m getting further downvoted here is just more evidence how disrespectful you guys are of other preferences in Apple threads ;)

Look, you started this by dismissing AirPods owners’ preferences as being primarily about signaling wealth. Frankly, most people find accusations like that pretty insulting.

It wasn’t me that made that comment! You’re getting me confused with another poster.

“Frankly, most people find accusations like that pretty insulting.” ;)

Like I said, I’ve been open minded. I don’t feel others have shown the same respect in return.

You're right. I was wrong about that. Sorry!

Also, FWIW, I haven't been downvoting you (I can't, since you're the first descendent on my responses).

EDIT: found the comment I had in mind:

> Indeed but I’ve got my own theories about what’s happening here and I think it’s less to do with people being open to alternative suggestions and more about protectionism of the Apple brand.

FWIW, my take is that people who enjoy the Apple brand proposition (spend more, but you'll generally get a very high level of attention to detail and things will mostly just work) are pretty sick of people who enjoy tinkering telling them that they're idiots for buying Apple. This comment of yours kinda gets into that territory by suggesting that people are downvoting because they're upset about challenges to the Apple brand (which is a petty and childish motivation) rather than they just don't share your priorities.

The thing is, I wasn’t saying Airpods owners (priorities) were wrong. All I was saying is that there is actually a glutton of devices that perform the same way as airpods do when a former poster suggest airpods were unique in the market. It’s a factually accurate post and it’s not critical of airpod owners. So getting downvoted for that kind of comment is weird and there’s literally no reason anyone would do this if it wasn’t for brand loyalty. I bet if this was a Bose, Sony or any other household electrical brand thread which wasn’t Apple, my posts would have been upvoted because that’s literally how those posts are received in any other topic on HN.

I’m sure if you look through other Apple threads you see a similar pattern of comments that aren’t negative nor factually inaccurate but still get downvoted too. I see it happen a lot on HN these days and frankly I’m sick of people abusing their voting privileges.