Apple’s latest craze, AirPods, has taken the campus of Seton Hall, as well as the world, by storm. Although released in December 2016, AirPods have seen a growth in popularity, becoming a big part of pop culture, as well as a well-known meme flooded across several social media pages.
These wireless headphones were a common Christmas gift among students this year. One who received them was Jimmy Krause, a junior communications major.
Krause said he received them as a gift and has been content with their performance. He said his favorite part of AirPods is its convenience, since he mainly uses them to work out.
Krause added that there is no longer a hassle to untangle his headphones whenever he wants to listen to music. Krause also said he credits AirPods for increasing the amount of time he spends listening to music daily.
“I think if it was any other ordinary company they wouldn’t be as big,” Krause said. “No matter what the price is on Apple products, people are going to buy them.”
Krause said he does advise people to be cautious of misplacing the earphones, since he has lost his pair a few times. He also added that the pride of having purchased AirPods, which retail for $160, is a big factor that influences people to contribute to the trend.
“I would recommend them if you’re willing to overpay for headphones,” Krause said.
However, some students like Katie Wilson, a senior diplomacy and international relations and modern languages major, said that she won’t be taking part in the hype train.
As the music director for WSOU Pirate Radio, Wilson said she has seen her taste in music on a wider spectrum. As an avid listener of heavy metal, Wilson explained that she has begun to go in depth with the genre and explore the many sub-genres it holds.
In terms of headphones, Wilson said she simply does not feel the need to purchase an expensive pair in order to enjoy her favorite music, and would rather enjoy the “old fashioned” wired Apple earbuds.
“They lasted me the longest and they stay in my ear when I’m running, which is most important to me,” Wilson said.
Wilson said she also believes that the fame surrounding AirPods will die out soon. “They are certainly a fad,” Wilson said. “They’ll go out.”
Jose Feliciano, a junior visual sound media major, said he prefers his pair of BeatsX over AirPods.
Feliciano said he had the opportunity to own a pair of AirPods when he received them as a gift for his birthday, but instead asked them to be returned for his much more preferred BeatsX. “I never fell into it,” Feliciano said.
Feliciano said he favors the comfort and sound quality of his BeatsX, as well as the quick charge time, long battery life and the low price, compared to the AirPods.
“I can’t really speak for the quality of AirPods,” Feliciano said. “But the quality of [BeatsX] are certainly elite, I would say.”
Ronald Castaneda can be reached at ronald.castaneda@student.shu.edu.
