Apple’s been making earbuds for more than two decades, and for most of that time, they’ve only offered them in one color, white. So why is Apple willing to make colorful iPhones and iMacs, but not colorful AirPods?
Design and brand identity is extremely important to Apple. They want their products to look unique and be easily identifiable in public. That’s part of the reason why Apple’s notebooks used to feature illuminated logos.
But when it came to the iPod in 2001, they ran into a unique problem. Since it was a small mobile device that would be hidden in people’s pockets, instead of being prominently displayed like computers. So how would Apple incorporate a strong brand identity with the iPod, if it would hardly ever be seen in public?
Well they focused on part of the product that would be visible, its headphones. But earbuds were too small to feature something like an Apple logo, so they focused on any headphones’ most defining feature, their color. At that time, virtually every pair of headphones included with CD players and Walkmans were black. So to stand out, Apple went the other direction, making their headphones pure white, which matched the iPod.
Apple even highlighted this design choice with their iconic Silhouette ad campaign that featured the white headphones perhaps even more than the iPod itself. The product went on to become the best selling music player in the world, and its white headphones became synonymous with the brand.
But in 2004, Apple had another decision to make, when they began offering the iPod in different colors. Some customers expected them to create colorful headphones to match, but instead Apple continued to include white headphones that made their music player instantly recognizable. And this approach continued for many years. Despite the iPod being offered in a variety of colors, they continued to include white earbuds. Despite multiple generations of AirPods and AirPods Pro, Apple continued to offer those primarily in white.
But with the release of AirPods Max and colorful iMac models, Apple began expanding its use of color in audio products. Their first over-ear headphone called AirPods Max launched in multiple colors, and the iMac was available in several vibrant finishes. Apple also began including color-matched accessories with certain iMac models. However, Apple’s in-ear AirPods models have continued to be offered primarily in white.
So while Apple has embraced color in some product categories, white remains the defining color of its earbuds — a deliberate branding decision that dates back to the original iPod strategy.
