Apple Facing Lawsuit After AirPods Allegedly Ruptured Eardrums with Amber Alert

Re:Apple Facing Lawsuit After AirPods Allegedly Ruptured Ear... by xmodem on Wednesday May 18, 2022 @05:51AM (#31420847)

It seems crazy to me how often these alert systems are apparently used in the US, for apparently mundane stuff. I've seen it used once while I was in Australia - while we were travelling and there were bushfires nearby - and never here in Europe.

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Re:Apple Facing Lawsuit After AirPods Allegedly Ruptured Ear... by Mo3 on Wednesday May 18, 2022 @06:19AM (#31421017)

It’s being used during massive storms and other serious emergencies in the Netherlands.

There was a big 100mph+ storm a few months ago and they sent out an alert telling everyone to stay inside as there were literally trees getting ripped out of the ground and hitting people.

That was the first time I ever saw my phone use this functionality, scared the crap out of me.

Amber alerts specifically I have indeed never seen, ever.

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Re:Apple Facing Lawsuit After AirPods Allegedly Ruptured Ear... by SOLAR_FIELDS on Wednesday May 18, 2022 @07:59AM (#31421670)

I unfortunately had to turn them off because they aren’t properly geographically bound in Texas. I would get alerts to look for cars many hundreds of km away multiple times per week. Needs a better implementation here.

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Re:Apple Facing Lawsuit After AirPods Allegedly Ruptured Ear... by gs17 on Wednesday May 18, 2022 @12:41PM (#31424848)

I thought that was intentional. If they've been driving for a few hours and their direction isn't known, that range makes sense. It's still an awful system, but the boundary probably isn't really a mistake.

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Re:Apple Facing Lawsuit After AirPods Allegedly Ruptured Ear... by jjtheblunt on Wednesday May 18, 2022 @12:36PM (#31424810)

(i bet that's some agency misusing the system)

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Re:Apple Facing Lawsuit After AirPods Allegedly Ruptured Ear... by mdrzn on Wednesday May 18, 2022 @07:03AM (#31421273)

Literally never received a single warning on my phone in Italy since smartphone exists.

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Re:Apple Facing Lawsuit After AirPods Allegedly Ruptured Ear... by Mo3 on Wednesday May 18, 2022 @07:49AM (#31421606)

Regarding the storm I mentioned; https://twitter.com/laurencomiteau/status/149470700312564941...

But yes, I've never seen it being used in any other country aside of the Netherlands either.

On the other hand, in Germany not even the sirens are working properly, so that's not very surprising to me.

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Re:Apple Facing Lawsuit After AirPods Allegedly Ruptured Ear... by millzlane on Wednesday May 18, 2022 @12:47PM (#31424922)

We had one the other day because of a girl kidnapped an hour's drive away. Fortunately the kidnapper was quickly apprehended and the girl found safe. I don't hardly see them ever. So, I'm not sure how often they are used.

What's crazy to me is how a device that claims to be 110DB at max volume could tear apart someones ear drum and damage their cochlea. I've been around many race cars on Dyno's literally right next to them at times with or without earplugs and I don't think this has ever happened to me. I'm curious of the medical science behind this.

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Re:Apple Facing Lawsuit After AirPods Allegedly Ruptured Ear... by jdashg on Wednesday May 18, 2022 @01:46PM (#31425570)

Ears self-protect in the presence of consistent loud noises. Going from 30db to 110db is probably worse than 80->110.

Different frequencies also have different properties, as well. IIRC low frequencies are less painful and less hazardous than mid and higher frequencies.

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Re:Apple Facing Lawsuit After AirPods Allegedly Ruptured Ear... by EricE on Thursday May 19, 2022 @09:53AM (#31434668)

Airpods tend to seal - lots of pressure in a confined space. In your dyno example your ears are open to the environment. Not hard to imagine, really (and rather frightening!)

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