Now that the big Apple announcements are out of the way, all of the smaller details announced today about the iPhone 5, iPod Touch, and iTunes can be picked apart until they are so much dust blowing in the wind.
During their presentation, Apple saw fit to brag a bit about their previous designs for earbuds, though everyone knows they were average earbuds, at best. After that, it announced its new earbuds, which are inexplicably named the “EarPods.”
Despite the silliness of the name, Apple claims the accessories are more comfortable than any other earbud headphones. The weird oblong shape of the EarPods are “defined by the geometry of the ear,” Apple says in its product description. The shape of the earbuds is such that the speakers are pointed directly into the ear. Apple claims this uni-directional speaker design minimizes sound loss and maximizes sound output.
The remote is much the same as those on Apple’s previous earbuds. It allows users to control volume, video or music playback, and answer the phone without taking their iOS device out of their pocket. The microphone on the remote allows conversations to take place in a similar manner.
Interestingly enough, not even a tiny detail such as the new earbuds escaped the avalanche of (very accurate, it turns out) rumors that proceeded the release of the iPhone 5. A leak just over one week ago included a YouTube video that shows the EarPods in all their strange glory.