We all see it everywhere. In the subways, while waiting for your taxi or Uber. Heck, I even saw my dentist still keep one in his ear while still treating patients (okay, lame joke).

But seriously, AirPods are more popular than everywhere and I believe it’s not because of what everyone thinks: that Apple product phenomenon where things pickup just when you thought they won’t. Axios also reported that AirPods are selling so fast that they might actually outpace iPhone numbers. No bro, it’s not.

You want to know the real reason? Fakes.

Yes, you heard me. Fake AirPods that look exactly like Apple’s from afar to the untrained eye have flooded the market, and would make the mass majority think that, ‘Hey, everyone’s buying them? So why don’t I?’

I’m not doubting the actual earphone’s usability and features – I’m sure its useful and better than some of the ones in the market right now. But the fact remains: Apple’s getting a lot of publicity through counterfeit AirPods, which looks exactly like the original.

Does this hurt Apple’s sales? Now that’s a different discussion. But to comment on that too – of course it does. Such an issue has been a bane to other high-end luxury brands (LV, Gucci etc) where they have ratcheted up their anti-counterfeit campaigns.

Feature Photo courtesy of Edgar Chaparro