Despite their sleek aesthetic and Siri compatibility, Apple's new AirPods wireless earbuds have one obvious flaw: they are hella easy to lose.
Get jostled too hard in a crowded subway car or sweat too much during a long run, and the teeny gadgets could slip out of your ear and into oblivion. But California-based smartphone accessory maker Spigen has a solution.
The AirPods Strap is a $10 wire cable that connects each earbud for safe keeping.
Described as "compact, lightweight, and extremely durable," the strap simply slips onto the stumpy earpiece handles and can be worn around your neck, hung from a hook, or simply wrapped up in your pocket. The cord retails on Amazon for $9.99, and will start shipping in mid-October.
Apple last week unveiled its proprietary wireless earbuds—for use with the headphone jack-less iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. The teeny appliances look identical to the company's existing EarPods, just, well, without the wires. For those who want to use their existing wired earphones or headphones, the new iPhones will come with an adapter that plugs into the smartphones' Lightning port.
A single charge promises five hours of listening, but users can pop the buds back into their carrying case to juice up again; the canister boasts about four more charges, for a total of 24 hours.
Expected to hit shelves in late October, the $159 AirPods are compatible with devices running iOS 10, watchOS 3, and macOS Sierra. The technology relies on Cupertino's W1 chip, which is also featured in Beats headphones like the Solo 3 Wireless, PowerBeats 3 Wireless, and new Beats X.