Many Apple users have them in their hands almost every day: the AirPods. But why do in-ear headphones actually have holes? TECHBOOK explains it.
Apple products are known for their simple and functional design. But it is not always immediately apparent what the developers have in mind when designing. Best example: the EarPods and the AirPods. Anyone who’s handled the standard iPhone and iPod headphones, or even the more recent wireless headphones, will know that the earbuds have three holes. But why actually?
The holes in the AirPods are used for this
What seems like a random design choice is actually for some pretty good reasons: Most traditional in-ear headphones fit snugly on the ear, creating a vacuum in the ear canal to prevent them from slipping or falling out.
The EarPods and AirPods break this vacuum through the holes on the inside and outside of the earphones. This ensures a better sound because the small sound membranes in the earphones can vibrate better without the external pressure from the vacuum. Bass frequencies in particular sound richer as a result.
Also read: What do the AirPods Pro 2 do better than their predecessors?
Forgoing the vacuum also has its consequences when telephoning with a headset: If headphones seal the auditory canal airtight, this ensures that you hear your own voice differently than normal. The three holes on the EarPods and AirPods create a natural voice sound instead. Incidentally, the design also eliminates the annoying throbbing noise when the headphone cable of the wired headphones hits your body while running, for example.
Apple introduced this design back in 2012 and has stuck with it to this day. The small holes can also be found in the different generations of AirPods. Other manufacturers also use this solution – but not all. You won’t find any holes in Sennheiser’s Momentum Wireless, for example.