How to distinguish original EarPods from copies or fakes

EarPods are wired headphones that were developed by Apple engineers. Their production began in 2013. The headphones have a thoughtful original design and spartan design. They gained great popularity when they began to be sold bundled with the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. They can also be purchased separately from the listed gadgets. The main danger of purchasing is the high risk of running into a fake. A counterfeit product cannot boast of good performance and long service life. A number of features described in the article will allow you to distinguish fake EarPods.

Identifying original and fake EarPods

Place of purchase

Apple always emphasizes that its customers purchase branded gadgets exclusively from official sellers. The manufacturer monitors its reputation and emphasizes the prestige of the brand by having an extensive own sales network. Therefore, original EarPods are extremely unlikely to be found in kiosks located in underground passages or at bus stops.

A kiosk where there is a high risk of buying fake EarPods

Apple products are in great demand. Therefore, EarPods cannot be sold at a discount, which reduces their cost by 2-4 times. The original device has a price close to Apple's recommendations. Therefore, if the headphones have a price lower than the purchase price from branded EarPods, then this is definitely a fake.

Sequence for identifying counterfeit iPhone headphones

To check the originality of your iPhone headphones, it is recommended to follow the instructions:

1. Inspect the box. It must be made of high quality materials.
2. Read all the inscriptions. The original must not contain any inaccuracies or spelling errors.
3. Look for a logo. It must be done carefully, without flaws.
4. Weigh the headset.


Weighing your iPhone headset

5. Examine the available icons on the headphones. Apple always uses high quality paint.


Comparison of the original with the fake

6. Check the labeling.
7. Check that there are no cracks or burrs on the plastic parts of the headphones.
8. Inspect the protective mesh for its strength.

Packaging and equipment

The packaging of the original EarPods should not evoke negative emotions upon initial inspection. The branded box matches the size of the contents, preventing the device from moving freely.

Visual inspection of the packaging

Next, you need to inspect the existing inscriptions. They must not have obvious printing defects. All characters in the original are in the same font. Fluency in English helps to identify the cue. It is important to read all the inscriptions and make sure there are no spelling errors.

Information on the packaging

At the bottom of the box there is a barcode with other information. There should also be no spelling errors or printing defects.

Inspection of the end of the package

You need to check the package. The original includes:

• transparent cover-case;
• cardboard square box;
• instructions;
• warranty obligations;
• case;
• headphones.

Complete set of original EarPods

Apple product packaging

How to distinguish fake Airpods from the original? Now it's time to check the cardboard box:

1. Apple always uses high-quality, thick cardboard to package all of its devices.
2. Touch the images of the headphones on the box with your finger. If it is original, then the pattern will be convex and not flat.
3. How to distinguish original Airpods 2? The packaging has 2-3 peel-off stickers (depending on the country of delivery), which contain information: data on support for operating systems, place of manufacture, serial code.
4. Pay attention to how the contents are laid out: Apple puts the instructions on top, and places the headphones in the case below, in a special tray. At the bottom you will find a cable for charging the case.

Case

It is recommended to start identifying counterfeit EarPods after opening the package by inspecting the case. When producing counterfeit goods, little attention is paid to it, so noticeable defects often remain.

Case

The original case is made of plastic, which has a bluish tint. The presence of burrs on the edges of a branded product is unacceptable. The plastic of the case is good to touch and smooth.

The original case is ideally designed for EarPods. They move freely in it, are easily removed, but do not fall out on their own.

The fake case is made of cheap plastic. It is rough and yellowish. Upon careful examination, you can often find stains and inclusions of some color.

Fake case

Particular attention must be paid to the back of the case. The original has the Apple logo there. Most fakes don't have it. It is also recommended to compare the color of the plastic of the case with the headphones. A counterfeit product always has a difference in shades.

Checking for logo availability

High-quality replicas often still have a logo or its likeness. Therefore, it is necessary to examine it carefully. The original has a number of features:

• clear, smooth edges;
• no burrs;
• uniform extrusion depth;
• no blur.

Detailed inspection of the logo

Cases are placed in protective film. The original does not have any stickers or inscriptions. A counterfeit film often has a label on which there is, for example, a barcode.

Fake film sticker

The cover of the original case is made carefully, without defects. Scratches, inclusions, and sagging are not allowed on it. The lid should not bend under slight finger pressure.

Cover Inspection

Comparison of the original with the replica

Alternatives with similar sounds

Earplugs are very popular because they provide complete sound insulation from extraneous noise. But wired headphones are valued by many users for their sound quality and good ergonomics. The following models are excellent examples of this:

Sony STH32 Black

The device has very high quality and harmonious sound with rich bass. The model has a body protected from moisture getting inside. There is a remote control with a volume control and functions such as voice dialing, ending a call, switching melodies and pausing the track. The headset is equipped with a 1.2 m cable with an L-shaped gold-plated plug.

JBL T205

The headset pleases with bright, rich sound with well-presented bass. There is a built-in microphone in the remote control, which allows you to conveniently communicate on the phone. There is a special key for answering. The durable cable has a standard length of 1.2 m. It is convenient that the kit includes a case for storage and carrying.

Sources

• https://TehnoPanorama.ru/naushniki/originalnye-naushniki-apple.html
• https://originalpoddelka.ru/tehnika/earpods-kak-otlichit-poddelku/
• https://www.iphones.ru/iNotes/kak-otlichit-originalnye-naushniki-iphone-ot-poddelki-03-30-2019
• https://pro-naushniki.ru/vidy-naushnikov/apple/kak-proverit-serijnyj-nomer-naushnikov-apple
• https://appleiwatch.name/how-to-check-earpods-for-originality/
• https://virtualniy-mir.ru/kak-proverit-na-podlinnost-airpods/
• https://headphone-review.ru/naushniki-apple-5-sposobov-otlichit-original-ot-poddelki/
• https://ichip.ru/sovety/pokupka/kak-otlichit-nastoyashchie-naushniki-apple-ot-poddelki-5-prostyh-sovetov-715622

Checking the Earpods barcode

ATTENTION! The correct barcode is not a 100% guarantee that the Earpods are original. At the same time, an incorrect barcode is a clear sign of counterfeit.

To check the authenticity of your Apple headphones, enter the numbers in the field and click the “Check” button. If the barcode is correct, then it is also recommended to check the country of the iPhone headphone manufacturer.

Important! This service checks the relevance and correctness of the applied barcode, but does not guarantee that the entered code is not taken from another product and that the AirPods headphones being checked are not counterfeit.

Carrying out an IMEI check

Visual verification, of course, is effective, but to be 100% sure of the originality of the purchase is only possible if you “punch” it using IMEI. To do this, do the following:

1. Go to the official Apple website from your computer or smartphone.
2. Scroll down to the "Check Service and Support Eligibility" section.
3. Open the charging case - you will see the necessary numbers on the back of the lid.
4. Enter a sequence of characters in the "serial number" field.
5. How to distinguish replica Airpods? If you have a fake, the system will identify the combination as an incorrect number.

Initial examination

Even if examining the case with packaging did not give any reason to doubt the originality of the EarPods, you should not let your guard down. Cunning sellers could put a fake headset in a branded box. Therefore, special attention must be paid to inspecting the device.

One easy way to identify a cue is to weigh the headphones. The counterfeit may have either greater or less weight. The disadvantage of this method is that it requires obviously original headphones. Moreover, if there are no scales, you can compare the shape and length.

Weighing

Connectivity to iPhone

Real AirPods use Apple's proprietary W1 or H1 chip to connect to an iPhone without having to go into Bluetooth settings.

Although some fake AirPods copy this functionality, none of the clone models connect correctly to a smartphone via Bluetooth.

Connecting AirPods to iPhone

All you have to do to connect AirPods to your iPhone is return them to the case and then open it next to your device. An animation of the connection should appear on the iPhone. If it doesn't, charge your AirPods and try again.

Many fake AirPods require you to connect to them via Bluetooth settings. In some cases, you even need to connect to each earbud separately. This can't happen with real AirPods.

Checking Bluetooth settings for AirPods

Even if your AirPods connect using Apple's animated setting, open your AirPods' Bluetooth settings to make sure all other settings for the headset are correct.

On your iPhone, go to Settings → Bluetooth. Click the "i" button next to AirPods.

Real AirPods let you rename them, change controls, and turn auto-in-ear detection on or off. Most AirPods replicas only allow you to turn off or forget this device.

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Connecting wires

The original headset has special rubber plugs that have a shape and elasticity that does not allow them to freely fall out of the plastic part of the EarPods. In copies, the insert may fly out even if the earphone is accidentally touched. The plug serves a purely decorative role.

Stub comparison

To identify a copy, it is not necessary to remove the plug. It is enough to tilt the wire to the side. The original must not have any cracks.

Wire deflection gap

Sound quality

Well, the most important thing for which headphones are needed is sound.

The sound quality differs catastrophically. Fakes have no bass, they are quieter and can wheeze .

The Chinese copy may not have a built-in microphone. And if there is one, it is usually quiet and hoarse. It is impossible to talk through such headphones.

Marking

The original EarPods have gray markings on the left and right earbuds. It is of high quality and does not wear out for a long time. For replicas, the letters "R" and "L" are usually black.

Comparison of the color of the letter "R"

In some cases, the letters "R" and "L" may be missing altogether. This is a 100% sign that the headphones are fake.

Original and fake that is not marked

Likewise, gray high-quality paint is used to mark the microphone. At the same time, a fake often has blurriness, unclear contours, and defects in the application of the image.

Microphone markings

Appearance of the original AirPods headphones

How to distinguish Airpods from fakes? First of all, of course, it’s worth examining the “ears” themselves:

1. Speaker . Carefully examine the grille - it should be thin, metal and not recessed into the body. The headset speakers are clearly visible through this grille. In fakes, the grilles are denser.
2. Materials . A real Apple earphone seems monolithic - the elements of the body are so perfectly matched to each other. Metal elements, unlike non-original ones, will be well polished here.
3. Sensors _ The surest way to detect a fake is to compare the headphones with photos of the original ones. The fakes either will not have the necessary sensors, or a resourceful inventor is trying to disguise their absence as an additional speaker.
4. Inscriptions . How to distinguish original Airpods here? On the left “ear” there will be a mark L, on the right – R. Under these designations you will see the marking of the device model.
5. Connection with telephone . As soon as you connect the real AirPods to the gadget, you will hear a sound that will sharply remind you of Windows notifications. The Chinese use other sounds for their devices.
6. Color . The original headphones are exclusively white. One thing is that after purchase they can be repainted by intermediaries. But if you see colored plastic in front of you, it’s definitely not AirPods.
7. Coverage . The originals are made of glossy plastic that does not slip in your hands. The fake will “soap”; you can tactilely feel the roughness on its surface.
8. Dimensions . Headphone parameters: 16.5 x 18 x 40.5 mm.

Net

First of all, you should inspect the mesh pattern. In the original it is always located at an angle of 45°. When making counterfeits, this feature is rarely taken into account. Therefore, the grid can be positioned at any angle.

The original headphones have a perforated metal mesh. It has high strength. For fakes, the mesh is made of cheap textured fabric or foam rubber. Any attempt to clean it leads to damage. The location of the diffuser holes itself will give the replica away. Any asymmetry indicates that the headphones are fake.

Mesh inspection

Lettering on headphones

On the left is the original, on the right is a fake.
On Chinese copies, sometimes it is not written which earphone is left and which is right. Or it is written, but in a crooked font or unevenly.

Also, the font may be too rough or dark. Or pry it with a fingernail and rub it off. On the original it is imprinted in such a way that it cannot be caught in any way.

Splitter

The original splitter has optimal softness and strength. It is unacceptable to have burrs, noticeable joints or other flaws. The fake one is hard and not rubberized enough. Any existing inscription can also indicate a counterfeit, especially if it is in Chinese.

Inspection of the splitter

Headphone shape and weight

Copy on the left, original on the right

The fake has a slightly more elongated, oval shape. The original has a more rounded shape, the “front” does not protrude so much.

This applies to very crude clones, because now the Chinese have gotten used to making correct bodies.

It is important that fakes are almost always noticeably lighter than the original - almost weightless. But to understand this, you need to have a 100% real version at hand and compare it that way.

Identifying a replica by wire

First of all, you need to pay attention to the performance properties of the wires. The original headphones are soft, elastic and have a fairly thick rubber coating. The wire must not have cracks or other defects.

If you can touch the wire, you should run your hand along its entire length. In this case, the original will not have any burrs or other defects. Inspecting the color of the wires also gives a clue. In fakes they often have a yellow or gray tint.

At a distance of 20 cm from the plug there is a printed serial number with the manufacturer. If the symbols are incorrect or missing, it is recommended to refuse the purchase, as these are fake EarPods.

View Wire Labels

Lack of markings on the fake

If there is an inscription, the fake often has printing defects or spelling errors. Characters can wander relative to the string. The original must have the same type of font, which cannot be said about copies.

Wrong font

On the original headphones, the wire markings include the inscription “Designed by Apple in California Assembled in China” and a 12-digit serial number. Using the code, you can determine the production date of the headset. It is indicated by the fourth digit. It is used to detect a fake. For example, if the headphones indicate the year of manufacture 2012, although they were not yet on sale at that time.

Decoding information

Apple branded lettering and fonts

We continue to find out how to distinguish a copy of Airpods. Many of us pay attention last to the inscriptions and fonts on purchase, which is completely in vain - because sometimes they allow us to quickly identify a non-original typeface. On the original devices, the charging case, and in the instructions itself, the corporate font is pale gray, and the letters are somewhat elongated. While the Chinese prefer a dark, almost black color, flattened letters, and bold font.

Control buttons

On the original headphones, the control buttons work without clicks and are easy to press. When pressed, there is no bending of the plastic.

Original buttons

Deflection of plastic

In lower-grade counterfeits, there are noticeable gaps near the control buttons even when there is no action on them.

Crevices

In the lowest-grade fakes, buttons are absent altogether or serve a purely decorative role. This can be detected the first time you turn on the EarPods.

Serial number (IMEI)

If you are in doubt about the originality of the product, you can check a low-quality headset using the EarPods serial number and the barcode on the packaging. It is enough to enter a bar code or a series of headphones into the register of released products (they can be found on the receipt, on the box, in the invoice) and determine:

• place of production;
• time;
• compare documents for quality.

EarPods
diffuser grille The IMEI is sewn into every phone at the factory. To find it out, you need to dial *#06#. After a short free operation, a fifteen-digit number will be displayed. This is the identifier (serial number) of cell phones.

Plug

Original EarPods have one of two plug types:

• four-pin "Jack";
• Lightning.

Regular plug

Lightning plug

A counterfeit can be identified by careless manufacturing of the plug. The original does not have any gaps or cracks. Metal contacts must be free of corrosion.

Plug inspection

Don't buy fakes, they are terrible

If you want to buy cheap headphones, under no circumstances buy fake EarPods. And always check those that you buy in unofficial stores.

Copies are short-lived, work poorly, the sound is wheezing, and they are simply uncomfortable to use. The original will last you for a long time, and the music will also sound normal.

It is important that all the tips above are equally relevant for both EarPods with a 3.5 mm jack and for the version of headphones with a Lightning port. That those that others are equally actively counterfeited.

All these EarPods are fakes

Final table of differences

An overview of the differences between fake and original EarPods is presented in the table below.

Table - How to distinguish original and fake EarPods

Apple headphones features

Since Apple headphones are designed in such a way that the user receives not just high-quality sound, but also a number of unique functions, the high demand for EarPods is understandable. The remote control of the basic iPhone headset allows you to:

• receive and reject incoming calls;
• “call” Siri (voice assistant of the iOS operating system);
• give commands to the voice assistant;
• play, stop, switch, rewind media tracks;
• “hold” an incoming call;
• switch between active conversation lines.

Differences in headphones

The external design of the headphones is identical for all three pairs, with the exception of a few points:

• The original headphones are smaller in size than others;
• The speakers of the originals are made of metal, while the speakers of the fakes are made of fabric;

• There is some kind of button on the side of the fake headphones. In the original headphones there is only an indicator in the same place.

If you bring the case with the original headphones closer to the iPhone, a message about the ownership of the headphones will appear on its screen. The phone will not react in any way to the approach of counterfeits.

Phone reaction to original science books

Now, after reading this article, you can easily figure out a dishonest seller and avoid unnecessary waste of money. After all, an original thing will always delight its owner.

What kind of device is this - AirPods

Airpods are modern wireless headphones that receive a signal from a source via Bluetooth interfaces. The company once decided to separate the two headphones and make them completely independent of each other. This became possible thanks to the special iPhone connection technology and the use of unique serial numbers for each element.

In addition to speakers, microphones and specialized sensors are also built into the devices. One of the sensors is responsible for ensuring that music playback automatically pauses when the headphones are removed from the ears. As soon as the earphone is returned to the ear, playback automatically resumes from the point where it was stopped. If desired, the user can configure this sensor at his own discretion or disable the function altogether.

Original Apple headphones must function stably with all devices that have at least the tenth version of the iOS operating system. Additionally, support is provided for watchOS and personal computers running macOS Sierra and higher.

The creators paid special attention to headphone control. With simple finger movements, users can conveniently pause music, skip to the next track, or return to the previous track. When using devices with Android smartphones, you can also easily configure controls via the touch panel built into the case. In particular, the headset responds very sensitively to double taps and triggers a preset function.

The stability of the connection with smartphones and the efficiency of sound reproduction are ensured by the ARM-based microprocessor built into the headphones. This chip guarantees convenient control of all device functions and is extremely energy efficient. So wireless models can boast of really good battery life.

For a large number of buyers, the real surprise was the headphone storage case. It not only functions as a case, but also serves as a portable docking station with the ability to recharge. At the time of the model’s release, such a solution was indeed very bold and progressive, so it instantly won the recognition of users around the world.

Charging the headphones in the case allows you to provide a level of autonomy sufficient to listen to music for 10 hours continuously. The firmware used by the microprocessor is updated automatically without the need for user intervention. Due to this, manufacturers are able to quickly correct all shortcomings that appear after release and maintain the relevance of the software at the proper level.

How to check IMEI AirPods 1, 2 on the Apple website

The official Apple website offers users a full range of necessary tools to check products for authenticity. This applies to all manufactured gadgets, as well as the first and second generation AirPods headphones.

To go to the desired tool, go to https://checkcoverage.apple.com/ru/ru/. On the page that opens, any headset owner can check whether the serial number matches the original, and also find out whether the headphones in question have been used before. The latter is especially relevant in the ever-evolving market for used products. Without appropriate verification, the buyer may actually consider a previously used headset to be new, thereby losing a significant part of the money.

Immediately before checking the headphones, you need to find out their serial number using one of the methods listed above. Then you need to open the verification service and enter the found IMEI in the appropriate field. For security, the service also provides a check for the robot, which includes the need to enter a verification code. Visually impaired users can additionally use the function of reading the verification code.

As soon as the code is entered, you can start checking for originality. The service will either find a headset with the corresponding serial number in the database, or display a message about the invalidity of the number. If such a message appears, it is recommended to re-enter the code and repeat the test. Often, users simply make a mistake during the input process, so that the system cannot recognize the entered combination. But if even after several checks the result remains unchanged, then the user is faced with a fake.

The date of purchase does not need to be confirmed when checking new headphones. Confirmation appears only after the device is connected to the smartphone and registered in the database.

In some cases, the system can find a serial number, but the original iPhone headphones corresponding to it already have activated status. This may indicate that the seller is selling used headsets under the guise of new ones.

Note! In some cases, the headphones are purchased in Hong Kong and activated directly during the transaction. This approach allows you to bypass the additional tax, thereby reducing the cost of production.