Someone really got the earphones on their own.
According to The Wall Street Journal, in recent months, New Yorkers lost a lot of AirPods in the subway, which put a lot of work pressure on the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The MTA is preparing to issue an announcement to remind subway passengers not to remove the headset when getting on or off the bus.
The Wall Street Journal quoted MTA maintenance director Steven Dluginski as saying that due to the hot weather this summer, many New Yorkers’ ears and hands sweated, making AirPods more vulnerable. Now the MTA is using a special 8-foot “pickup” to save the lost AirPods, but the number of AirPods that are on the track is increasing, leaving them unstoppable.
Steven Dluginski said that in March of this year, Apple released the second generation AirPods , and the subway staff’s “rescue work” on AirPod soared. On a Thursday in August this year, his team received 18 requests to retrieve lost items in just one morning, six of which were AirPods.
Although the owner can track the location of the lost AirPods with the iPhone, but because of its small size, the subway track environment is more complicated, so even if you know the approximate location, it is difficult to remove.
But there are really passengers who go to the subway to get AirPods. In July, Twitter user Ashley Mayer conducted a live broadcast of AirPods on social networking sites – she bought a broom and a roll of tape, wrapped them together, and used this during the interval between subway operations. The tool glued the AirPods that were left behind from the rails.
Ashley Mayer Twitter Screenshot
Ashley Mayer has a good hands-on ability, but it is dangerous to do so. The reason she took the headset out even if she took the risk was probably because it was not cheap. Now a pair of AirPods with wireless charging boxes is priced at $199, a pairAirPods with a regular charging box are priced at $159. If you lose or break an AirPod, you need to spend $69 to buy a pair. If you lose the charging box, you will need to spend $59. If it is a wireless charging box, it is $79.
The first time AirPods debuted in 2016, it provoked mockery of public opinion. It seems that the wired headset is cut short of the same shape to give a sense of instability. Regarding this controversy, Apple CEO Cook has argued in an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America” program. “I used to have a lot of sports on the treadmill with AirPod headphones. The headphones will still be stuck there. There has never been a problem of falling.”
But Apple analyst Gene Munster admitted that he has lost 10 AirPods. So, maybe AirPods is not as strong as Cook said, or many New Yorkers are sweating more than Cook – but in any case, AirPods has proven to the market that it is Apple’s most successful accessory. According to Counterpoint Research, Apple sold about 35 million AirPods wireless headsets last year. According to the agency, AirPods is now the most popular “Hearable” product.
So that you will be willing to take the risk of picking it up from the subway track.