I can buy cheap Amazon earbuds with volume controls for far less than Apple's step-up AirPods 5 model — how is it getting away with this?
THE SO WHAT
Apple charging a premium for basic features like volume controls while cheaper Amazon earbuds undercut them shows how much margin still rides on ecosystem lock-in, not hardware BOM. If you build accessories or adjacent hardware, assume there’s room to differentiate on value and UX while incumbents lean on brand and platform gravity.
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