Apple has been making earbuds for two decades, but they’ve only ever offered them in one
color:
white.
So
why is Apple willing to make colorful iPhones and iMacs, but not colorful
earbuds?
Well
that’s what I’ll explain right now.
Design and brand identity is extremely important to Apple.
They
want their products to look unique and be easily identifiable in public.
That’s
part of the reason why Apple’s notebooks used to feature illuminated logos.
But
when it came to the iPod in 2001 they ran into a unique problem.
Since
it was a small mobile device that would be hidden in people’s pockets, instead
of
being
prominently displayed like computers.
So
how would Apple incorporate a strong brand identity with the iPod if it would
hardly
ever
been seen in public?
Well,
they focused on part of the product that would be visible: it’s headphones.
But
earbuds were too small to feature something like an Apple logo, so they focused
on any
headphones
most defining feature: their color.
At
the time, virtually every pair of headphones included with CD players and
Walkmans were
black.
So
to stand out, Apple went the other direction.
Making
their headphones pure white, which matched the iPod.
Apple
even highlighted this design choice with their iconic silhouette ad campaign
that
featured
the white headphones perhaps even more than the iPod itself.
The product went on to become the best-selling music player in the word, and it’s white
headphones
became synonymous with the brand.
But
in 2004, Apple had another decision to make, when they began offering the iPod
in
different
colors.
Some
customers expected them to create colorful headphones to match.
But
instead, Apple continued to include white headphones that made their music
player instantly
recognizable.
And
this approach continues today.
Despite
the iPod touch being offered in a variety of colors, they all include white
EarPods.
Despite
two generations of AirPods, plus an additional AirPods Pro model, Apple
continues
to
offer those in just one color: white.
But
with the release of AirPods Max and the iMac, I think there’s reason to believe
Apple
is finally changing their tune.
Their
first over-ear headphone called AirPods Max is available in five colors, and
the iMac
is
available in seven.
But
what’s even more important is the approach Apple took to the iMac’s
accessories.
For
the first time ever, they included color-matched cables.
An
approach that could be carried through to the next EarPods model, and to
Apple’s
entire
AirPods line.
So
after two decades of waiting, we may finally get colorful earbuds from Apple in
the near
future.
