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https://scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3113221/chinese-netizens-mock-apples-new-airpods-max-headphones-insane-price
Abacus/ Tech

Chinese netizens mock Apple’s new AirPods Max headphones for ‘insane’ price tag

  • Apple’s first-ever over-ear headphones are more expensive than some entry-level iPhones and iPads
  • ‘Do these headphones cure deafness or what?’ says one comment on microblogging site Weibo, where AirPods Max are currently trending
Apple’s first over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max, feature active noise cancellation and spatial audio. Photo: Apple

The launch of Apple’s AirPods Max on Tuesday night stirred up heated discussion on Chinese social media, where netizens mocked the headphones’ “insane” price of 4,399 yuan (US$674) apiece.

Hashtags relating to the American tech giant’s first-ever over-ear headphones trended on microblogging site Weibo, with the topic garnering 110 million views and over 240,000 discussions on the platform as of Wednesday evening. Many of the comments were critical of the wireless headphones’ price tag, which is more expensive than some entry-level iPhones and iPads.

“I don’t understand. Do these headphones cure deafness or what? This is way too expensive,” one Weibo user wrote in a comment that drew over 7,000 upvotes.

Some compared the noise-cancelling headphones to those by brands like Sony and Bose. “It’s definitely normal for good headphones to cost up to 10,000 yuan. But headphones from Apple? I’m not sure,” another Weibo user wrote. Apple bought the critically acclaimed Beats in 2014, with a view to improving the quality of its music-listening products.

Others joked that the launch of the product was a “4399 crossover”, referring to the price of the AirPods Max as well as the name of the 4399 Network, a 16-year-old online casual game platform co-founded by legendary Chinese angel investor Cai Wensheng. “The 4,399 yuan price tag is off-putting, might as well play games instead,” one user wrote.

“AirPods are the most popular headphones in the world, beloved for their effortless set-up, incredible sound quality, and iconic design,” Apple’s senior vice-president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak, said in a statement on Tuesday. “With AirPods Max, we are bringing that magical AirPods experience to a stunning over-ear design with high-fidelity audio.”

Apple’s first over-ear headphones feature active noise cancellation and spatial audio as well as transparency mode, which allows users to listen to music while hearing the environment around them. With up to 20 hours of battery life, the new headphones have nine microphones and two of Apple’s custom-designed audio processor H1 chips to create a higher-quality listening experience, according to the company.

Since details of the headphones were released, their weight – at 385 grams – has drawn derision from some Chinese netizens as they are significantly heavier than other leading noise-cancelling headphones, such as the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 (250 grams) and Sony WH-1000XM4 (255 grams).

“With a weight of nearly 400 grams, the experience for daily commuters would be greatly impaired no matter how great the noise reduction is,” one wrote on Weibo.

Following earlier criticism of the company’s decision to launch iPhone 12 phones without a charger included, many Chinese consumers also complained about the absence of a charger in the AirPods Max package.

But some users came to the defence of Apple, pointing out that headphones from other brands often do not come with chargers either. “We can debate the functionality and the pricing of the headphones, but criticisms of the chargers are quite unnecessary,” a Weibo user wrote.

Based on past launches, negative comments on social media do not mean that the AirPods Max headphones are doomed in China, the world’s second-largest economy. As some netizens pointed out, online criticism of Apple products such as the AirPods and iPhone 12 series has not stopped them from becoming hugely popular in the market.

China is estimated to account for 35 to 45 per cent of global demand for the premium iPhone 12 Pro model, according to veteran Apple analyst Kuo Ming-Chi, despite an initial backlash on Chinese social media over Apple’s decision to exclude earphones and a charger in the package.

Apple saw 225 per cent quarterly growth in iPhone sales in China, the world’s biggest smartphone market, in the second quarter of 2020 thanks to price cuts, according to CINNO research.

And like its previous products, the AirPods Max are already seeing overwhelming demand. Since orders began on Tuesday in China, the first batch of headphones appeared to sell out within 24 hours on Apple’s official website. The company initially planned to begin shipping on December 15, but delays have stretched shipping times to between 12 and 14 weeks, which means buyers who order them now are not likely to receive their headphones until March next year.