Apple EarPods (3.5mm Headphone Plug) vs Beats Tour (original)

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Only show differences

Better figure, where one is clearly better

Share comparison

EarPods (3.5mm Headphone Plug) compared with Tour (original)

	AppleEarPods (3.5mm Headphone Plug)	BeatsTour (original)
Overview
Released
Released	September 2012	2008
Sound
Type
Type	Open-ear	In-ear
Noise cancelling
Noise cancelling	No	No
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth codecs	None (wired)	None (wired)
Noise cancelling detail
Noise cancelling detail	–	Passive isolation from the fitted ear tips; no active noise cancelling (Ubergizmo).
Audio features
Audio features	–	Flat red analogue audio cable designed to resist tangling.
Battery
Listening time (maker's claim)
Listening time (maker's claim)	No battery (wired)	No battery (wired)
Design
Headphone cable
Headphone cable	Yes	Yes
Controls
Controls	Inline remote for volume, music and video playback, and answering or ending calls; not all older iPod models support volume controls	No remote on the original version reviewed in January 2009. The proposed Beats Talk microphone version was separate and had no confirmed release date at that point (Ubergizmo).
Microphones
Microphones	Inline microphone	None on the original version (Ubergizmo).
Fit and ear tips
Fit and ear tips	Non-sealing earbuds with a fixed shape and no ear tips	In-ear fit with interchangeable ear tips. The original maker announcement lists five differently sized sets.
Water resistance detail
Water resistance detail	Apple states protection from sweat and water but does not publish an IP rating	–
Works with
Works with	Audio through a 3.5mm headphone socket; Apple lists remote and microphone support for iPod, iPhone and iPad, with model-dependent volume control support	Wired analogue connection to a headphone socket. The first Apple Store purchase listing appeared in December 2008 with estimated shipping of one to two weeks (iClarified); the maker promised limited mid-December availability. This does not establish an actual first shipment day or month, so the release retains year precision.
Colours
Colours	White	Gloss black earpieces and red cable in the original maker announcement.
In the box
In the box	EarPods with 3.5mm Headphone Plug	Earphones, five sets of ear tips and carrying case in the maker announcement.