[cljacoby]

I kind of agree with you, but to play devil's advocate, AirPods basically reset the baseline perspective around bluetooth headsets. Before AirPods, bluetooth headsets were definitely not cool, and mostly just utilitarian. I mostly associated them with either business-y people in suits, or people exercising like running.

I think if there is a company that could really kick of mainstream VR/AR headset adoption, Apple probably has the best brand to do it.

That being said I have a Quest 2 with a couple years of accumulated dust in a closet, so who knows.

[seec]

AirPods success have nothing to do with the actual technology involved and everything to do with the ability to display wealth, or social status.

Just like the mediocre included earbuds with iPods were very popular even as a replacement or for other devices even though there were countless much better choices at the same price.

I owned AirPods and not only they are undeserving of the hype but for the price they are extremely mediocre and have a pretty big longevity problem.

People keep buying them because everybody knows how much they cost and how often you have to change them, which makes you part of a de facto well-off group.

The biggest Apple products might be the social engineering around their products but for this to work they need people to not be too aware, so I guess it will stay that way...

[avalys]

The idea that anyone is signaling wealth or status with a $150 electronics purchase is kind of ludicrous.

I feel like people who believe other people are buying Apple products merely as a status symbol, are projecting their own insecurities and thought processes onto others.

[HumblyTossed]

Nah, those business-y people just trades their Jabra for the AirPods.

[nebula8804]

It definitely expanded the market and help to make it mainstream. The ease of use and relative reliability of these devices really made all the prior stuff seem like trash.