April 26, 2024
Mobile & Internet
Koreans skeptical about Apple’s wireless earbuds
[THE INVESTOR] The new wireless earbuds from Apple Inc., AirPods, have been getting a lackluster reception in South Korea, mainly because of their relatively short battery life and high price.
Unveiling the new iPhone last week, Apple showed that it had ditched the ubiquitous headphone jack for the smartphone. While Apple described the removal of the 100-year-old audio jack as “courageous,” some critics raised questions about the sound quality of wireless earbuds.
The AirPods will be available for purchase from next month.
Due to the limited data volume of a wireless trans-receiver, users will find it difficult to enjoy high-quality music with the AirPods, according to industry watchers.
Apple said the AirPods improved sound quality by improving Bluetooth technology with its proprietary “W1” chip.
Battery life is seen as another worrisome issue.
The AirPods deliver 5 hours of listening time on a single charge, compared with about 10 hours for other wireless headsets.
“Currently, there are a few customers who have raised the issue of the battery life of wireless earphones. But the AirPods have a different situation,” an official at a local earphone industry told Yonhap News Agency by telephone.
Apple said the charging case would give users more than 24 hours of listening time.
The price of the AirPods is set at 219,000 won in South Korea. The price is similar to that of a low-end smartphone.
(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)
Unveiling the new iPhone last week, Apple showed that it had ditched the ubiquitous headphone jack for the smartphone. While Apple described the removal of the 100-year-old audio jack as “courageous,” some critics raised questions about the sound quality of wireless earbuds.
The AirPods will be available for purchase from next month.
Due to the limited data volume of a wireless trans-receiver, users will find it difficult to enjoy high-quality music with the AirPods, according to industry watchers.
Apple said the AirPods improved sound quality by improving Bluetooth technology with its proprietary “W1” chip.
Battery life is seen as another worrisome issue.
The AirPods deliver 5 hours of listening time on a single charge, compared with about 10 hours for other wireless headsets.
“Currently, there are a few customers who have raised the issue of the battery life of wireless earphones. But the AirPods have a different situation,” an official at a local earphone industry told Yonhap News Agency by telephone.
Apple said the charging case would give users more than 24 hours of listening time.
The price of the AirPods is set at 219,000 won in South Korea. The price is similar to that of a low-end smartphone.
(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)
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