Apple frequently patents many innovations, but most of them never officially make it into consumer products. However, a counterfeit manufacturer is emerging in China that appears to have copied Apple’s 2021 patent ideas for AirPods with a touch screen integrated charging case.
Images and videos shared on Twitter by user @lipilipsi show the counterfeit AirPods products with an integrated OLED touch screen on the front of the charging case.
Counterfeit AirPods Pro with touch screen
This screen is activated when the case is opened, allowing users to choose noise cancelation options, find their headphones through the “Find My” feature, select preset sound equalization settings, and lock the screen. The screen also displays the battery level of each AirPod, the current time, and Bluetooth connectivity.
The origin of this idea comes from Apple’s 2021 patent. The patent states: “The utility of the headphone case can be enhanced and user control over their wireless headphones can be improved by configuring the headphone case with an interactive user interface to allow users to control activities related to wireless headphones.”
In a sketch, Apple envisions controlling Apple Music through the charging case using the touch screen with a graphical interface that also provides haptic feedback, allowing users to control audio playback, adjust volume, favorite songs, and interact with their music in other ways—similar to the counterfeit device we see here.
Apple’s patent image of AirPods with touch screen on the charging case
The patent argues that integrating this interactive touch screen will “minimize or eliminate limitations in user control of wireless headphones.”
The popularity of AirPods has led to an increase in counterfeit wireless headphones being seized in the US in recent years. According to a report in 2021, about 360,000 counterfeit wireless headphones with a retail value of $62.2 million were seized in the first 9 months of the year, based on data from the US Customs and Border Protection.
Counterfeit AirPods Pro case identical to the genuine product
The agency said that 80% of all counterfeit goods imported into the US are from China. Although it is unclear how many of the seized counterfeit headphones were AirPods, US Customs and Border Protection stated that seizures have increased by 50% in the previous 5 years due to the growing popularity of products like Apple’s earbuds.
Counterfeit AirPods can use genuine Apple serial numbers and often have an indistinguishable appearance from genuine AirPods. Many products often have equivalent noise cancelation features, but the touch screen is clearly a new feature.
Counterfeit “Made in China” AirPods Pro with touch screen
