Holes in Apple EarPods: That's what they're made for

Apple's EarPods, the original Apple headphones that come with the iPhone, have holes on the side that at first glance seem to serve no purpose. We'll explain what it's all about.

The holes on Apple headphones are intended for this

Apple headphones, called EarPods, have slit-shaped holes on the outside. This is not the microphone because it is attached directly to the cable. The holes serve a very specific purpose:

• Air enters and exits through the holes in the EarPods.
• This allows the membrane of the actual speaker to move freely and set the air in vibration.
• This improves the sound quality, bass is lower, treble is clearer.
• By the way: For the best sound quality and a long lifespan, you should clean your EarPods regularly.

The so-called AirPods, which are included with Apple's iPhone7, are undoubtedly controversial. But what can the wireless headphones do?

On the next page we explain how a loudspeaker works.