Over the last decade Apple have been shepherding us towards a wireless future. With the introduction of the MacBook Air in 2008, 2015's MacBook, and the iPhone 7 jettisoning the headphone jack in 2016, it would be difficult not to take the cordless hint.

On its website, Apple describes its new AirPods ($159) as "Wireless. Effortless. Magical." The completely wireless earbuds have finally arrived, after a delay that almost caused Apple to miss the holiday season completely. AirPods use...

It might be two years since their release, but Apple's AirPods continue to enjoy sales success, with consumers still flocking to grab Apple's first real foray into headphone tech. Millions of pairs have been sold in the past couple of years, while AirPods have shaped the street scene xqconsiderably,...

Excellent service every time And excellent product and price

Really works makes AirPods secure in the ear,

Editors' note: The AirPods reviewed here are the original model released in late 2016. As of late March 2019, they have been replaced with a second-generation version. Read the new AirPods review.

Look past their offbeat design and you'll find that Apple AirPods' compact size and high convenience factor are a winning combination.

The ultra-lightweight Apple AirPods are fully wireless headphones that offer a reliable wireless connection, effortless pairing with Apple devices, decent sonics and good call quality; The included compact charging case quickly charges the buds; You can now control playback of your music with a double tap.

Will fit more securely in some ears than others; Their open design allows for a lot of ambient noise to leak in; Similarly priced wireless models deliver better sound; And yes, they still look kinda dorky.

The Apple AirPods haven't had the smoothest rollout. Finally available at year's end, the $159 wire-free earphones now have plenty of competition. But where some competing models, like the Bragi Dash ( at Amazon) , are loaded with swipe and gesture controls, the AirPods simply use your voice and Siri—neither of which prove to be an ideal solution. From an audio standpoint, the AirPods offer decent bass response and crisp, clear highs, but would greatly benefit from creating an in-canal seal like most earphones do. Instead, you hear the outside world and get less low end than you might otherwise. But for the price, you're paying for a new technology, not top-of-the-line audio performance. Every product line needs a first generation, and while the AirPods don't feel like they're in beta, some simple improvements can greatly enhance the next iteration. Design When you compare the AirPods ($124.99 at Amazon) with the aforementioned Bragi Dash, the Samsung Gear IconX ($77.00 at Amazon)...

The Apple AirPods feel like a big step for wireless in-ear audio—but it's more about innovations and features and less about audio performance.

Clear audio performance; Seamlessly pairs with multiple iOS devices on the same iCloud account; Carrying case doubles as backup battery

Lack of ear canal seal means less bass response and potential ear-to-ear stereo image discrepancies; Limited onboard controls virtually require you to use Siri; In-ear fit could be more secure

Bought them for my wife. She absolutely loves them!

Love how they fot into place, sound quality spot on Love em

Easy to use and excellent sound quality