04/02, 2:57pm
Apple owns US trademark on 'EarPod,' plaintiff owns 'HearPod'
A company that makes digital hearing aids with the trademark name "HearPod" is suing Apple over its "EarPods" trademark, claiming infringement. Filed in Hawaii, the "HearPod" trademark was originally issued in 2007, five years before Apple introduced its EarPods headphones. Oddly, Randolph Divisions is suing for infringement rather than claiming any harm from consumer confusion between the two similar-sounding brands. Apple owns the US trademarks for both "EarPods" and "Apple EarPods," but Randolph Divisions owns the "earpods.com" domain name.
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09/18, 5:11pm
Apple upgrades default audio for mobile devices
A new iFixit teardown has exposed some of the inner workings of Apple's new EarPods. The product notably uses paper cones, a first for any set of Apple headphones. The earbuds Apple previously included with mobile devices relied on plastic cones, in theory hurting sound quality.
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09/13, 3:00am
Mini-documentary reveals design process in headphones
Two of the videos shown during the two-hour iPhone 5 and iPod rollout on Wednesday have found their way to YouTube through unofficial channels. In addition to a new ad for the iPod line -- the first in years -- there is also a mini-documentary around the making of the new EarPod headphones, narrated by Apple's SVP of Design, Sir Jonathan Ive. In it, Ive details the process that went into making what he calls the "impossible" task of creating a single set of headphones that would fit nearly anybody.
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09/12, 2:50pm
Earbuds 'designed to direct sound into the ear'
Alongside its new iPhone and other iOS products, Apple has unveiled today a redesign of its signature white earbuds. Dubbed "EarPods," the new headphones are said by Apple to have spent the past three years in the design and development process. Apple has designed the new earbuds so that they will fit everyone, according to Apple design guru Jon Ive.
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