7 reasons why Airpods are simply brilliant

Colleague Dominik tested the Airpods recently. But of course the peg didn't come up with the idea of testing them with the iPhone 7, which he was given specially. No, of course it had to be an Android device.

Of course, the Airpods work with that too. However, you can only utilise their full functionality with an Apple device. They are still only available with a waiting period. Being the mean person I am, I'll still tell you why you want them right now.

First of all: I have a Macbook Pro and an iPhone. That doesn't make me an Apple fanboy. The Apple Watch didn't interest me one bit: a banana product for technology hipsters. Apple doesn't pay us a cent to make me love the Airpods. Because with the Airpods, it was love at first sight.

1. they look great

The Airpods are delicate. They weigh 4.4 g each. With earbuds weighing less than five grams, you'll forget you're wearing them. The sight may still be unfamiliar, but you'll get used to it. You'll find them on public transport more often because they're a bestseller. Everything we get into the warehouse goes straight back to customers.

2. they are practical

If you have them in your ear, they work. If you take them out of your ear, they switch off. Either you have them in your ear or they disappear into the elegant charging dock. And that disappears into your jacket pocket. Simple.

3. Your grandma can operate them

Where elsewhere pairing hell breaks loose, Apple shows how it's done. Do you know how the operating instructions work?

1. Hold the charging dock next to the iPhone and open
2. Listen to music

4. they are well thought out

If you hold the charging dock to the iPhone and open the lid, you can see the charging status of the earbuds and the dock. (If you remove one earbud, you can even see the exact charge level of both.)

If you take one or both out of your ear, playback pauses. (There are people who criticise this as a bug - nothing annoys me more about my otherwise cherished Sennheiser Momentum Wireless than the fact that it just keeps on playing when you put it down.)

Double-tapping an earbud triggers an action. This can be Siri (default) or Start/Stop (my choice, who needs Siri?).

I found myself swiping my finger along the length of the Airpods to adjust the volume. Unfortunately, it doesn't work, but it would be a nice feature for future Airpods.

5. they play in the upper middle class in terms of sound

Of course, they don't stand a chance against full-blown over-ear headphones at low frequencies. But the in-ear competition doesn't do that either. They sound good. Perhaps a little sharp at the top, but that makes them all the more useful for Netflix and other voice-emphasised applications.

6. good price for a good product

Yes, 179 francs is a lot to pay. Of course you get better sound for the money; here, here or here. But these are different product classes. Or there is no docking station available.

Many other Bluetooth earphones suffer from miserable ranges - the Airpods even beat the large Momentum Wireless Over-ear, and easily at that.

They last for five hours. A 15-minute charge gives you three hours of use. Tested, they work. The dock allows about five charges. There's nothing to complain about in terms of runtime.

7. it's simply fun

This product is a statement. It is a pleasure to use and does its job well. I am often reluctant to return test devices. I will buy the Airpods. Recommended purchase for aesthetes and iPhone enthusiasts. Recommended purchase for the rest of Apple users. Even Android users may consider the Airpods (then "only" SBC, because the Airpods can only do AAC and no aptX).

Headphones

Apple AirPods

5 h, Wireless

375

Headphones

Apple AirPods

5 h, Wireless

375