This woman looks far too young to be wearing hearing aids. | Source: Microsoft Surface/ YouTube
- Microsoft Surface Earbuds are officially available today.
- The new wearable technology has some impressive features.
- Unfortunately, Microsoft won’t compete with Apple wearables for one simple reason: they don’t look cool.
The new Microsoft Surface Earbuds are available for purchase today. Unsurprisingly, the world is far less excited about this product than they were for the release of Apple’s AirPods.
Microsoft is lagging in the wearable department because they still haven’t figured out how to make their customers look “cool.”
Good luck. | Source: Twitter
Microsoft Surface Releases Earbuds, Apps, and Headphones
It was a big day for Microsoft Surface. The tech giant released its new Surface Book 3, Surface Headphones 2 and Surface Earbuds. Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) description of the new earbuds is tantalizing.
They claim the “immersive, Omnisonic sound” will “deliver an exceptional acoustic experience.” They even try to one-up Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) by adding a “responsive touch surface” that allows you to “tap, touch, and swipe” various commands.
While all of this sounds amazing, they haven’t addressed the one all-important question:
Do they look cool?
The answer is a resounding “no.”
These are your new earplugs — I mean, Microsoft Surface Earbuds. | Source: Microsoft
Surface Earbuds Look Horrendous
Microsoft can add all of the impressive technology it wants, but it doesn’t matter if people don’t want to be seen wearing it.
Think about who’s buying these products. It’s younger people on the go, exercising, and generally being seen. Nobody wants to be seen with a giant white coin stuck in their ear. But that’s what the Microsoft Surface Earbuds look like.
They’re not sleek. They’re not subtle. They’re just big, round, uncomfortable-looking circles stuck in your ears. They look hearing aids from the 80s.
Microsoft should take some style tips from Apple. | Source: Instagram
Apple Wearables Are Lightyears Ahead of Microsoft
Apple, on the other hand, has cornered the ‘hip wearable’ market. Back when AirPods first came out, they were ridiculed by people who couldn’t understand the product.
Source: Twitter
One headline in The Guardian cried, “Earth to Apple: wireless Airpod headphones are like a tampon without a string.”
Since then, that same publication heel-toed to call them a “millennial status symbol.” They’ve caught on like wildfire.
Source: Twitter
Apple’s wearable line, headlined by the AirPods and Apple Watch, has grown to the size of a “Fortune 150 Company.”
Why? You already know. It’s even in the name. “AirPods” just sounds so much cooler than “Surface Earbuds.” Not only that, but Apple has the distinct advantage of first breaking the technology.
Source: Twitter
But even that doesn’t trump style. Despite releasing Microsoft Band nearly a year before the Apple Watch, Microsoft killed off their wrist device while Apple’s still goes strong.
Despite the new Microsoft Surface line, they will always be seen as a stuffy business company by younger generations. Clearly, that works for the trillion-dollar company.
But if they ever want to compete with Apple, they are going to have to learn how to incorporate some style.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
This article was edited by Sam Bourgi.