EarPods

Overview

My first baby.  This was the first product I took from concept to market.

Our goal was to completely phase out the previous generation of headphones, which were quite dated - and more importantly - uncomfortable for many.  While the ID team was tinkering with forms, they asked me to study ear geometry and identify anything that may inform the industrial design.  After overlapping a few ear impression 3D scans based on similar landmarks I delivered a "common volume" to ID, which led to the "snorkel" style earbud form - drastically improving comfort and retention.

Design Challenges

Comfort and retention.  Trying to make a "one size fits all" that stays in your ear was nearly impossible.  Even harder while working out / sweating.

Acoustic performance.  Defining sound.  Consisency via front leak. 

Fit and finish.  Very tricky injection mold design, and ID wanted a perfect fit between enclosures.  Housing mold had no static components, tolerances weren't great.  Collaborated with operations team to develop a 

Cable performance.  Zylon reinforcement.  New extrusion jacket material.  Overmolded the bass port during assembly to lock cable to headphone.  

Role

PD for headphone, cable, and plug

Processes and Materials

Injection molding - ABS

CNC gluing - PU and CA

Deep drawing - phosphor bronze

Plating - triple nickel

Insert compression molding - silicone

Extrusion - Custom developed TPE

PVD