How AirPods became the millennial Rolex

Published February 22, 2019 5:00am ET



An image of the Mona Lisa, with her enigmatic smile and wireless earbuds photoshopped onto her ears, is a meme for the millennial generation. It is one of hundreds of memes about AirPods, the $159 earbuds you buy to show off to your friends.

A regular pair of earphones can cost as little as $10, and an off-brand wireless earbud set can be less than $40. But Apple’s AirPods, white bumblebees you put in your ears before sneezing on a $100 bill, cost enough to garner envy and viral jokes.

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