The surging popularity of AirPods has reportedly resulted in record numbers of counterfeit wireless headphones being seized at the U.S. border.
According to The Information's Wayne Ma, roughly 360,000 counterfeit wireless headphones with a retail value of $62.2 million were confiscated in the first nine months of the U.S. government's fiscal year, based on data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. By comparison, the report claims 295,000 counterfeits with a retail value of $61.7 million were seized at the U.S. border in the entire 2020 fiscal year.
U.S. Customs told The Information that 80% of all counterfeit products coming into the U.S. were from mainland China or Hong Kong. While it's unclear how many of the seized counterfeit headphones were AirPods, U.S. Customs said seizures have increased 50% in the past five years as products such as Apple's earbuds have gained popularity.
The retail value of counterfeit wireless headphones seized by U.S. Customs appears to have skyrocketed following the release of AirPods Pro in October 2019.
MacRumors shared a comparison of real and fake AirPods Pro back in 2019:
The Information examined counterfeit AirPods Pro sold in Hong Kong in December, noting that they had a genuine Apple serial number and were physically indistinguishable from legitimate AirPods Pro, and even had functional active noise cancellation and Transparency mode features. The report claims one of the only ways to determine that the AirPods were fake was by looking up their firmware version, which was incorrect.
I like how the Customs Service determines the estimated retail value of the counterfeits by using the price of the Apple product and not how much the counterfeits actually sell for.
Sum up the fix in two words, Distribution Channel. If a product does not pass through a certified Distribution Channel, it is fake. The businesses know they are purchasing fake products. They are buying from and selling outside of the approved channels. We the consumers need to be aware of to good a price and how did it get here for every product. Why when it comes to important products, like Apple products. I will only buy directly from Apple or trusted sellers like Best Buy. Price is only one factor in the value of any product.
Friday October 22, 2021 9:32 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple is developing second-generation AirPods Pro to follow the AirPods 3, with the new earbuds set to come out in 2022. We've heard little about the next-generation AirPods Pro so far, but a rumor from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested they could be stemless.
MacRumors has now received alleged images of the second-generation AirPods Pro that contradict the stemless design rumors, but...
Wednesday October 13, 2021 3:24 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Back in October of 2020, Apple introduced a service program to address AirPods Pro issues that could cause them to experience static, crackling sounds, or problems with Active Noise Cancellation. At the time, Apple said the program would cover the AirPods Pro for two years after the retail sale of the unit.
Apple has now extended the program, quietly updating the accompanying support document...
Tuesday October 5, 2021 11:18 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released new firmware updates for the second-generation AirPods, the AirPods Pro, and the AirPods Max. All three of the AirPod models are now running 4A400 firmware, up from 3E751 for the standard AirPods, 3E756 for the AirPods Max, and 3E751 for the AirPods Pro.
Apple has also released new 4A394 firmware for the Beats Solo Pro, Powerbeats 4, and Powerbeats Pro.
Apple does not ...
Wednesday October 6, 2021 7:53 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple on Tuesday released firmware version 4A400 for the second-generation AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max. On the AirPods Pro, the update enables a new Conversation Boost feature that Apple previewed at WWDC earlier this year.
Apple says Conversation Boost is designed to help people with mild hearing challenges stay more connected in conversations. The feature uses the AirPods Pro's...
Amazon has Apple's AirPods Pro available for $179.99, down from $249.00. This is the second-best price we've seen on the AirPods Pro since launch, and one of the best prices we've tracked in 2021.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Amazon will...
Monday October 18, 2021 1:40 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today updated the AirPods lineup with the AirPods 3, which feature an AirPods Pro-like design featuring shorter stems, spatial audio support, Adaptive EQ, longer battery life, HD voice quality for FaceTime, IPX4 water resistance, a MagSafe case, and more.
The new AirPods are priced starting at $179, which is $20 cheaper than the prior AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case, and Apple is ...
Apple recently introduced its third-generation AirPods, featuring a new design, spatial audio, Adaptive EQ, MagSafe charging, sweat and water resistance, longer battery life, and more. The standard AirPods are now more similar to the AirPods Pro than ever before, with the new earbuds actually surpassing the higher-end in-ear option with one improved feature.
Apple's third-generation AirPods...
Friday October 22, 2021 7:04 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
Alongside the third-generation AirPods, Apple this week also introduced a minor update for the AirPods Pro to add MagSafe support to the charging case. MagSafe makes for easier alignment of the AirPods Pro case on compatible magnetic chargers and allows it to stick on angled chargers.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, ...
Amazon has a pair of solid deals on Apple's AirPods Pro and AirPods Max today, starting at $179.99 for the AirPods Pro, down from $249.00. This is the second-best price we've seen on the AirPods Pro since launch, and one of the best prices we've tracked in 2021.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small ...
Tuesday October 5, 2021 1:31 pm PDT by Juli Clover
The new 4A400 AirPods Pro and AirPods Max firmware that was released this afternoon adds expanded Find My integration that Apple first promised as an iOS 15 feature back in June. Images via MacRumors reader SRM1982 With the update, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max are able to take advantage of the Find My network, allowing them to be located through connections with the Apple devices owned by...
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