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Apple on Tuesday introduced its first set of on-ear headphones, the AirPods Max, in an attempt to boost holiday sales.
Priced at $ 549 US and 4,399 yuan in China, the premium wireless earbuds are more expensive than the company’s entry-level iPhone, iPad and Watch models.
A departure from the headphone design of the same vein, the AirPods Max sport large cushions attached to a stainless steel frame and mesh headband.
The reaction from Chinese social media has been mixed, but mostly less enthusiastic, with many network users complaining about the high price of the headphones.
By comparison, Bang & Olufsen’s H8i wireless headphones retail for 2,158 yuan ($ 330) with 12.12 festival discounts at its official store on the Taobao e-commerce platform, and its H9 headphones are priced at 2,098 yuan ($ 321) after discounts.
Other high-end headphones, like the Bose Noise Canceling 700, sell for 2,499 yuan ($ 381) with holiday discounts, while Sony’s latest flagship headphones, the WH-1000XM4, are priced at 2,499 yuan (383 yuan). dollars) on Taobao.
Apple had planned to launch the product in the fall, but had to modify its design after some testers deemed the headband too tight, Bloomberg reported.
Unlike the AirPods earbuds that only come in white, the new earbuds are available in five colors, including space gray, silver, sky blue, green, and pink, and offer a 20-hour battery life, charging through the Lightning connector. from Apple.
Apple said AirPods Max were available for order starting Tuesday, with availability starting December 15. However, a check on Apple’s China site showed that orders are expected to ship in 12-14 weeks. , which means that customers in China will not receive the product until March 2021..
The AirPods Max contains nine microphones and an H1 chip, Apple’s custom-designed audio processor, in each earbud. The microphones can provide noise cancellation, adjust audio levels in real time, help reduce wind noise during phone calls and feature “Spatial Audio”, which uses head tracking to create an immersive sound experience. . A separate “noise control” button will allow users to switch between noise cancellation and transparency modes.
A feature of the Apple Watch, the digital crown, is also implemented in the earbuds, offering volume control and the ability to play or pause audio, skip tracks, answer or end phone calls, and activate Siri.
Network users in China were quick to voice their opinions on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like microblogging platform, and the trending topic “AirPods Max” attracted more than 86 million views shortly after the product’s launch.
Most of the commenters complained about the higher price of the headphones, questioning the value of the product.
“Selling 4,399 yuan in China? Isn’t the price a bit ridiculous? “said one user.
“At this price, I’m sorry. I’d rather go with Sony, Bose or HiFiMAN, ”said another.
“I admit that the AirPods Max are quite impressive. The convenience of the mesh design with its H1 chip is probably worth that much money. Basically, you’ve incorporated the audio quality of your HomePod smart speaker and the comfort of your AirPods headphones. However, spending 4,399 yuan on a pair of headphones is totally unimaginable, ”commented one reviewer.
SEE ALSO: Apple to Launch New Affordable iPhone as Sales Slump in China
“You could get them if there is a better price from outside retailers. For AirPods Max, I am only willing to pay 2,999 yuan, and not a dollar more, “said one commenter.
Apple’s last-quarter results showed an increase in sales at its accessories unit, even as revenue from its flagship iPhones fell 20.7%, the steepest quarterly drop in two years, according to Reuters. Accessories sales rose 16% to $ 53.8 billion (351 billion yuan), while iPhone sales fell 3% to $ 137.8 billion (899 billion yuan) for fiscal year 2020.
