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Apple's Penalty Charge For A Lost AirPod

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This article is more than 7 years old.

Apple quietly put its long-delayed wireless AirPods on sale this week. Retailing in the US for $159, the BlueTooth based solution uses Apple's own W1 communications chip to allow for a 'no-wires' audio solution. Given the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the AirPods are a key part of Apple's vision of portable audio in 2017 and beyond.

I still think that Apple dropped the ball by not having the AirPods ready to go on sale along with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, but they are available now. Ordering online offers delivery times up to four weeks, but Apple Stores are getting regular (but limited) stocks, so you might be able to walk up in the days before Christmas.

Anyway, the running joke around the AirPods since they were announced was that Apple was going to be laughing all the way to the bank because of the high replacement costs when you lost a single AirPod. Now the earbuds are on sale and Apple's Service Pricing page has the answer your wallet may not want to hear.

If you're looking for a single replacement AirPod, it's going to cost you $69. A replacement charging and case will also cost you $69.

I'm glad that Apple is offering solo AirPods. Unlike wireless earbuds that have a connecting cable that sits on the back of your neck, it is possible to have one AirPod drop out while the other remains in situ. And I'm glad to see that the suspicion of the missing AirPods would be beneficial to Apple is also true.

Buying a new set of AirPods (and the bundled charger) is $159. Buying the three elements separately will cost $207. At an individual level replacing a single AirPod will be an economical choice. Assuming you lose two over the effective lifespan it still (just) remains cheaper to buy two replacements rather than a new kit. But when you multiply the losses over the millions of users that Apple expects to buy a set of AirPods, then the increased gross revenue from solo AirPods and replacement cases over new units is going to add up.

Well played, Apple, that's a nice little earner.

Now read about a wireless alternative to the AirPods...

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