Ever since I saw a not-great-but-not-awful romantic comedy starring Ryan Reynolds many, many, years ago I've wanted a pair of truly wireless headphones. In the film, Definitely Maybe released in 2008, we see Reynolds's character put a pair of wireless earbuds into his ears and go about his business. It sparked an interest that certainly hasn't waned all these years later, and especially now that, you know, truly wireless headphones are actually a thing you can buy.
And I think it's kind of crazy just how dominant they've become in a relatively short period of time.
I don't go out all that often these days, except for when I absolutely have to, and when I do I see just as many people wearing headphones as I used to. It's a pretty common sight, but I can't say the same for wires. Most of the headphones I see these days are wireless, and most of them are earbuds. I've seen some Samsung-branded options, but, honestly, it's mostly AirPods. Not that I see a lot of AirPods Pro, oddly enough. When I do see truly wireless headphones it's usually just the standard AirPods.
Yesterday stood out, though. A run to the grocery store to pick up goods for the week and I saw my first pair of wired headphones (that I remember seeing, anyway) in quite some time. The cord was white and the in-line controls told me at the time I was looking at EarPods. I didn't see which phone the person was using, so I can't tell how those headphones were connected (directly to a headphone jack, or with an adapter, or with a Lightning/USB-C cable), but it got me wondering, especially in light of the rumors Apple is planning on ditching the wired headphones from the iPhone 12 box later this year.
EarPods, or wired headphones in general, don't cost all that much if you aren't looking for fork over a lot of money. But, just like the wireless market, wired headphones range in price from the inexpensive to the "break the bank" amounts and it alls comes down to each individual and what they're looking for. Even when it comes to connectors, you can choose to stick with the 3.5mm option and use an adapter, or you can find headphones that connect directly to the Lightning or USB-C port on your mobile device(s).
I remember using wired headphones fondly, and the wide range of headphones I owned over the years with unique designs. Like the headphones that had reverse clips, which slid over the top of my ears to keep the headphones in place. I think these were from Sony and they really stood out because the plastic piece was replaceable, so I could switch colors when I wanted. I also remember having to hide the cable for various reasons over the years, whether it was in school, or just having to get something done and not wanting the wire to get in the way and rip out the headphones from my ears.
Going wireless is great, and it's a good thing that the market as a whole is leaning into the movement so prices can start to level out and people aren't hit with sticker shock on a regular basis. Sure, AirPods Pro aren't cheap, but there are plenty of options out there.
So I'm curious, are you still using a pair of wired headphones? If so, which style -- in-ear, on-ear, or over-ear? And how are you connecting the headphones to your phone? Why are you waiting to switch to wireless? Let me know!