Apple AirPods 3 need to ditch the stems — here’s why
I hope the Apple AirPods 3 or Apple AirPods Pro 2 don’t have stems. But I know the rumored next-generation versions of Apple’s earbuds probably won’t ditch the product’s iconic design element, especially not for a minor — and very “me” — inconvenience.
I’ve had my ears pierced since the third grade, and through waves of different styles of earrings regularly. Right now, I’m wearing simple pearl studs after being gifted a pair a few weeks ago. But as long as I want to keep my lobes adorned, I might need to avoid Apple AirPods, some of the best wireless earbuds around.
Sitting at a desk most of the day, I didn’t realize the stems of my AirPods Pro graze the top of my ear candy. But as I shuffled around my apartment I noticed a clicking noise. I can’t say it bothered me enough to investigate.
However, when I kept in my AirPods Pro while continuing a phone call on a short walk to the pharmacy, the person on the other end asked if I were using a typewriter.
I couldn’t hear the severity of the rhythmic clacking my call mate complained about, but I could certainly feel it — the light tapping of my earbud stem against my earring. Perhaps “rattling” is a better way to explain the sensation. I twisted the bud to orient more horizontally than I usually wear AirPods Pro so the stem wouldn’t come near my jewelry.
Promising to call my friend back later while stationary in a quiet apartment, I continued my walk, but the adjustment I made didn’t last. Before I got back home, the stems once again made contact with my earrings.
