First Look: Apple's new in-ear headphones
It was easy to miss, but during last Tuesday's flurry of iPod announcements Apple also introduced two new sets of headphones. The first headphones unveiled were a modest pair of $29 earbuds that include an in-line set of playback controls on the cable (play/pause/skip) along with a tiny microphone. Nothing particularly exciting about these except that they may be the cheapest way to activate the voice-recording feature included on the new iPod Nano, Touch, and Classic. When I asked the nearby Apple rep if these earbuds offered any sound improvement over the standard bundled pair, he shook his head and offered me these.
Apple's in-ear headphones look and feel very nice. I didn't have chance to hear them--but it would have been a lost cause in the din of the product demos taking place behind me. I can tell you this: they include two balanced-armature drivers in each earpiece; three pairs of differently-sized silicone ear tips; a screw-on metal grille covering the aperture; two extra replacement grilles; a plastic case with a cable wrap; and the same in-line controls and microphone included on the previously mentioned earbuds. They also cost $79.
The metal screen covering the aperture of Apple's new in-ear headphones screws off for easy cleaning.
(Credit: Apple)Apple makes some amazing software and hardware, but I had doubts that they could (or would) devote internal resources to designing a pair of headphones as nice as the ones I was holding. I naively asked the Apple rep next to me who they had worked with to make these headphones. No comment.
I have a theory about who's cooking up Apple's high-end earphones (any guesses?), but in the end, it doesn't matter. I suspect Apple will sell a shedload of these things, especially to customers who've only ever heard their music through the tin-pan earbuds that come bundled with their iPod. The $79 price point puts the product below Shure's entry-level SE110 in-ear headphones, and level with offerings from V-Moda and Ultimate Ears. Plus, Apple's headphones offers users bonus features such as playback control and voice recording for the current generation of iPods.
Both pairs of Apple's new headphones will be available in October of this year. To see the Apple In-Ear headphones in action, you can take a look at my First Look video.
Update: the Apple iPhone 3GS is capable of supporting both the remote clicker and volume controls used on the in-ear headphones. Previous iPhone models still lack support for the headphones' remote volume control feature.
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Donald Bell is CNET Reviews' senior editor for MP3 players and portable audio, and one half of the MP3 Insider blog and weekly podcast. He also likes getting his hands dirty with digital audio tools for musicians and DJs. 
James Kim knew how to make good reviews
Why is this even news?
Apple has offered an in-ear bud for a while if I'm not mistaken, and some Bose earphones as well at their stores. If they offer their in-ear with decent sound with the competition in its price range, as well as throw in a mic and playback controls for those who weren't initially looking for sound quality, but rather just wanted the added features, think of the market they're creating! If anything, they have the biggest grasp on the portable media player market right now as well as the earphone market. If they can offer something enticing like this, they can, in theory (depending on how many people who don't care about sound go for the added features and the Apple name) open up the small earphone market and enlighten general consumers what they've been missing out on.
At least that's ran through my head after reading this article.
CNet (Don Bell): "sound quality is only average"
PCWorld.com: "According to our tests, the latest iPod Nano improves its audio output as compared with its predecessor, jumping up a notch to receive a rating of Superior on the PC World Test Center's suite of audio tests. The Nano, together with its new Touch sibling, are our new leaders in our audio output results."
"Does this also mean an end to the buds with the FM receiver in them?"
Apple still offers the iPod Radio Remote, and it's listed as being compatible with the new 4th Gen Nano as well as the Classic (they don't differentiate between the old 80/160 GB and new 120 GB ones, so it'd be all of them). You have to dig around on the Apple Store website a bit to find it, though. Obviously it's not one of their best sellers (personally, I carry a media player so I don't HAVE to listen to the d*mn radio). They're still on the racks at local brick-n-mortar Apple Stores, too.
Are you talking about Bose? They offer customized docking stations for iPod and I won't be surprised if they are doing these headphones as well...
The headphone looks good and come in a great-looking package, but Apple should have put the money in engineering the sound quality.
I will keep my Bose for home and use the ones shipped with my iPhone when I'm on the road.
David