Shopping for good headphones can be tough, and often filled with audiophile jargon that the common music listener doesn’t fully understand. Do you want active noise canceling? Does it hit the highs you want? Does the driver provide enough bass? Does it explode in your ears?
That last one is especially important, and you’d think that it’s something you wouldn’t have to worry about when purchasing headphones. But, with the growing popularity of wireless headphones, it’s become a problem. And no company is immune. A man in Florida named Jason Colon said his Apple AirPods started smoking and exploded while he was working out.
(We’ve heard of hot tracks, but this is ridiculous.)
According to WFLA, Colon noticed smoke mid-exercise, and took out the AirPods immediately, setting them on a piece of equipment. After going to get help, he returned to see the air pod that was smoking was now charred and broken.
“I didn’t see it happen, but I mean, it was already fried,” he told WFLA. “You can see flame damage.”
An Apple spokesperson told WFLA that it is investigating the incident, and plans to reach out to Colon.
“I don’t know what would’ve happened to my ear,” Colon said. “But I’m sure since it hangs down, it could’ve been [my] ear lobe. [My] ear lobe could’ve been burnt.”
The likely speculation is that it’s an issue with the battery. This has been what caused other electronics, like smartphones and hoverboards, to combust. It’s also what we saw with the Beats by Dre headphones that exploded mid-flight. Apple was also at the center of that controversy.
As more and more companies start selling wireless headphones, it’s crucial to be sure that they are safe enough for users to wear without having to worry about combustion.
