A History of Apple AirPods: From Controversial Launch to Universal Triumph

Since its introduction in 2016, AirPods have slowly changed the way people listen to music. Here's a look at its history.

Walk around any major city and you'd have to go well out of your way to avoid someone wearing AirPods. Even in suburban areas, you can just about always spot someone wearing them for a walk, in a grocery store, on a plane, or at the gym.

Apple AirPods have permeated society in under a decade, but as with the original iPhone, they were met with quite the skepticism upon their debut. From its humble beginnings to now, let's take a look at the timeline of this breakthrough audio accessory.

The story begins in September 2016 during the same Apple event as the iPhone 7 announcement. Apple unveiled its then flagship phone with a slew of new features and some modern design changes, but it notably lacked a vital feature present on every other iPhone before it: a headphone jack.

Apple explained the iPhone was running out of physical space under the hood to develop new features and hardware advancements, so the headphone jack got the boot to make room for other parts.

Fortunately, Apple had a few solutions lined up. Every iPhone 7 would get a pair of wired EarPods that used the Lightning connector instead, plus it would include an adapter for standard 3.5 mm headphone jacks in the box too.

That ended up as only half of the remedy. Apple then unveiled its proposal for a future beyond wired headphones: AirPods. The iPhone maker claimed 24 hours of battery life between the AirPods themselves and the case.

More importantly, Apple promised they wouldn't suffer from any of the common connectivity complaints of Bluetooth. You simply open up the included charging case near your iPhone, tap connect on your screen, and boom—start listening on all your iCloud devices.

While no one denied AirPods to be an interesting idea, the initial reaction was intense skepticism. Critics were concerned the two-piece design of the headphones would make them easy to misplace. Most wireless earbuds at the time didn't come in a charging case but instead packed batteries right on the earpieces and included a wire linking the right and left sides together.

They also claimed such a design meant AirPods would never work for the masses, given Apple's one-size-fits-all approach and the popularity of more snug headphones at fitness centers. Plus, at a price of $159, this new iPhone accessory looked like a hard sell.

Meanwhile, consumers had less to say about the practicality but mocked the aesthetic. Because the stems on either side of the AirPods made them look nearly identical to their wired siblings, many claimed AirPods were a gimmick, and Apple just snipped the EarPods wire and raised the price into the triple digits.

On December 13, 2016, AirPods finally hit store shelves. Some folks continued their jokes about the design for a bit longer, but by every measure, AirPods became a quick success.

Of course, they didn't just saturate the market overnight or even any time soon after launch, but one thing was clear: people wanted AirPods. Consumers slowly but surely started letting go of any questions or concerns about how to use AirPods or if they'd fit into their lifestyles.

Apple is also a profound expert in the art of iconic design and branding. The unsightly white stems soon turned into status symbols among consumers.

It became clear that the first wave of critics greatly underestimated how much people value convenience. AirPods were not and still aren't the best-sounding, highest-quality Bluetooth headphones on the market by any measure (although AirPods Max later challenged that).

It's just that no company up until that point had been able to develop wireless headphones with such seamlessness. Pop them in and press play—that's it.

Naturally, Apple wanted to expand upon its already massive success. A few years in, people started wanting more out of their AirPods, namely noise cancelation. Apple's answer in 2019 was the AirPods Pro. They hit the market with a fresh new design: a wider charging case, smaller stems on the individual AirPods, a new button for playback controls, and Active Noise Cancelation with Transparency mode.

This wasn't a major leap ahead, but it was a solid upgrade for those looking for something a bit more premium. There are even simple ways to improve AirPods Pro's audio quality further. And unlike the original AirPods, the public cherished AirPods Pro from day one. Sure, $249 was a hefty price for some tiny earbuds, but noise cancelation proved to be an excellent selling point.

Just one year after the AirPods Pro introduction, Apple expanded the line once again with the AirPods Max. The most unconventional model by far, these were the first over-ear headphones in the AirPods family. The larger size meant Apple had enough room inside to put the best sound it could develop for a headphone.

They debuted at a whopping $549, but it was the first time audiophiles ever considered AirPods. They sound absolutely incredible, but still don't sacrifice that signature convenience AirPods are known for.

Despite the exorbitant price tag, Apple somehow managed to create a cultural phenomenon out of them too. That's part of the AirPods magic; just like all the prior models, AirPods Max features an iconic design: instantly recognizable without any branding, yet difficult to knock off precisely. They turn heads based on looks alone.

Factor in the fluid pairing with iPhone and good sound, and it's not hard to see how Apple has created a winning formula with clear longevity.

Whether it's new features, new designs, or new members of the AirPods family entirely, Apple is tight-lipped about where AirPods will go from here. It's difficult to imagine the future of a product that already works so well for so many people. It's fair to expect upgrades and new generations on a regular cycle, but Apple hasn't updated AirPods as frequently as other products like the iPhone.

Still, the potential is huge, especially since Apple, in recent years, has shifted hard away from the idea that our devices serve only one or two central purposes. The phone part of the iPhone is now its least interesting feature, and the Apple Watch, for many, is their primary fitness device way before it's their primary clock.

For instance, you can even configure AirPods to amplify sounds around you, which is an incredible accessibility feature. AirPods could evolve into so much more than just audio accessories, and it's exciting that Apple is likely working on that future right now.

From being a questionable iPhone 7 gimmick to becoming a must-have iPhone accessory, AirPods have come a long way. Users quickly latched on to the long battery life and simplicity of just inserting them in your ears and pressing play.

Using AirPods is an effortless, mindless experience in the best way possible, and they sound terrific for the average user. Arguably, AirPods embody the famous Steve Jobs quote more than any other product Apple makes at the moment: "It just works."

George has been writing online about technology for 14 years spanning everything from how-tos to reviews and opinion pieces. He got his start as a teenager blogging about iPhone rumors for his high school friends and sure enough, a full-time career was born shortly thereafter. When he's not engrossed in his collection of Apple products, you can probably find him either fixing someone else's or reading about which new one to buy.