At first introduction, it might have seemed like someone cut off the wires of their earbuds and stuck them in their ears and carried around a white container of tooth floss to store them in. But now as 2019 comes around the corner Apple’s new product grows more and more viral: AirPods.

At a whopping $159, AirPods have sprouted in the ears of students all throughout Camas High. “The quality is better than normal earbuds because the price of these is higher.” Robert Insko, junior, comments.

“Airpods are just a way for kids to get away with listening to music and nothing else.” Joy Cobb, a freshman, speaks matter-of-factly. It’s true that with these AirPods there’s no more earbuds-up-the-sleeve trick but a more sly and deceitful way to fool teachers.

“I think they’re ok as long as it is an appropriate time for working and listening to music.” Kealey Sitler, a teacher here at CHS, says. But these little buds are hard to notice and may also go undetected when hidden under locks of hair. “The difference is that people can hide them easier without the string attached so there might have been a time where I just didn’t even notice.”

Other teachers also seem blase on the topic. “I don’t have a problem with them most of the time as long as students are staying on task and of course not during tests so they’re not listening to answers.” Jeffrey Thomas says. But listening to answers here is more than true in this statement…

Apple has installed a feature in these AirPods that no other earbuds hold called “Listen Live.” With this, students can communicate with each other from across the room. Originally, it was meant to amplify the noise around a person so they could hear more clearly, but people have turned it into a makeshift spying gadget. They can place their phones in a different place and eavesdrop on what people are saying. Or in this case for students, be fed the answers from another person across the room without the teacher even realizing. This is one step forward in consumer’s use of Apple products. “They’re white so they’re flashy, but if they made them flesh-colored that would be even worse!” Sitler muses.

With AirPods 2 coming out, people won’t know what to expect next.