How AirPods became Apple's hottest product
CNN
Almost immediately after Apple unveiled its new AirPods product in 2016, the memes began. There were photoshopped pictures of electric toothbrushes dangling from ears and jokes about the wireless earbuds resembling miniature hair dryers, oversized plastic earrings and Snoopy.
But over the years, AirPods have emerged as a surprise status symbol and a hit for the company. Customers line up outside Apple stores on AirPods launch dates as they do for new iPhones. NBA players began wearing them before games on their "runway" walks to the locker room. Olympic skateboarder Jagger Eaton wore a pair during an event in Tokyo this summer (he took home a bronze medal). There are AirPod cuffs that clasp to ears, jewelry that clips onto the stems and expensive designer cases from Prada, Louis Vuitton and Coach. And AirPods can be found everywhere: in ears at Starbucks, airports and more recently, on Zoom and WebEx calls during the pandemic.
So perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that at Apple's fall product event on Monday, which had been widely framed in the press as a MacBook event, it was arguably the AirPods that stole the show.