The Shocking Truth About Apple Earbuds

Lonnie Lazar ()

iphone_earbuds.jpgApple published a support article Monday indicating “It’s possible to receive a small and quick electrical (static) shock from your earbuds while listening to iPod or iPhone.”

The article reads like a schoolbook primer on the nature and causes of static electricity and points out that the condition is not limited to Apple hardware, that static can potentially build up on almost any hardware and could be discharged using any brand of earbuds. Support staff also helpfully note that receiving a static shock from a pair of earbuds does not necessarily indicate an issue with the iPod, iPhone, or earbuds.

OK. And the company found it necessary to publish this information because…?

Have iPod and iPod users been experiencing an inordinate build-up of static electricity with their devices?

Let us know in comments below if you find it shocking to use your Apple mobile device in windy, low-humidity conditions.

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About the author

Lonnie Lazar

Lonnie Lazar is a writer-musician-web designer-attorney. He writes about Apple for Cult of Mac and Mac|Life, and about VoIP and telecommunications for Voxilla. Follow Lonnie on Twitter @LonnieLazar, join the Cult of Mac on Facebook, and find Lonnie's photos on Flickr.

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Posted in Hardware, Humor, News |

  • http://megal.ophono.us Dan

    Actually, I’ve had this problem for ages. I’ve got an iPod Touch 1G, and constantly get my ear shocked when one earbud falls out and I go to put it back in. It scared me a bit at first before I figured it was just static. My only worry is that if it charges enough it could damage the stupid iPod.

    I live in a fairly windy area, but thought it had more to do with the whole “one earbud rubs against fabric” thing rather than the weather.

  • Steve Spiegel

    It is strictly CYA article. With so many idiot losers suing Apple these days cause they want to make a dishonest buck or can’t stand a winner, I don’t blame Apple is the lest.

  • Lieven

    I’ve had this when I put my iPhone in my dressing gown and then take it, I’ll get shocked in my ears! It feels kinda funny :-)

  • Marc

    All the time, especially in the winter when taking off a particular parka I have. I also sometimes get a shock when I walk through older-style theft detection RFID thingies at stores. It’s not just iPod earbuds; it’s multiple kinds of earbuds. I mean, you have a metal wire conducting right to metal plates in your ears.

    If I’m wearing my Apple in-ear earbuds, I can hear the static but usually not feel it.

  • http://extra-special.ca Tyson

    I have owned all sorts of headphones (Nixon, Apple, Sony, Skull Candy) and I have received shocks from all of them (some far worse than others). The only time this has ever happened to me is while working on a computer, shuffling around on a chair. I’ve been shocked while plugged into my iPod as well as into my computer. The first time it happened was with my Skull Candy headphones and they gave me the same explination as this article.

  • steve

    I have had this happen often, with my iMac and a pair of SkullCandy phones. In the dryer weather last winter, many times after I’d first sit down after taking off a sweater I would hear crackling and it would hurt!

  • smallerdemon

    I have experienced this with my own iPod Video 5G numerous times. And with non-Apple headphones. Nature of the beast, it seems.

  • Austin

    Great title for this article! Based on the content, you could not have picked a better title. Nice job, go creativity…woohoo.

  • Tim

    omg yes this happened to me!! Here’s the story, i was listening to some music and had to leave my apt to run some errands so i put the music on my iphone to take with me..it was kinda chilly out so i threw on a fleece pullover jacket(which might have contributed to the static even more) over my ear buds (the wire went under my jacket to my iphone in my pocket). Anyways did all my errands then came home, walked inside set down the grocery bag then took off my fleece pullover. As i was taking off the jacket i heard a weird noise in the ear buds then bam! Zap straight to the ears, it caught me so off guard i ripped the ear buds off and threw them on the ground in fear it would hurt my iphone. I examined everything and everything looked normal. I just assumed that the jacket caused static and the metal mesh over the ear buds conducted it!

  • temple

    every morning in the halway at my school we hear a scream beacause somone forgot to take out there earbuds when they to of there coat. Its happend to my 3 times now I use over eard headphones.

  • http://www.ohTwentyone.com Jon

    I’ve received shocks from my video iPod and iPhone using the Apple earbuds that came with both devices as well as the In-Ear headphones from both this generation and the previous, as well as a pair of Bose in-ear headphones.

    I experienced it pretty frequently with the Bose set, which is a major factor in discontinuing their use. I wear my ‘buds a lot while performing household chores, and while the Apple buds might shock me once a month, the Bose were hitting me a couple of times a week.

  • Mark

    It’s not the iPod, it’s the earbud design, there’s metal touching (or almost touching) skin. It will even happen if the headphones are unplugged. It hurts like hell but if you just take your earbuds out before you take off your sweater, it won’t shock you.

  • scstsut

    I use a Touch 1G and am using third party earbuds (the $9 sort) and get shocks thru them often. It happens noticeably more often when I’m wearing my fleece pullover and expecially when I take the pullover off while the earbuds are in my ears.

    I think Apple probably got a lot of complaints that people’s iPods where shocking them. I think it’s good they dealt with it honestly, i.e. this will happen with any music player and any ear buds.

  • Essefgy

    I get shocks occasionally during winter months. But the worst offenders are the new in-ear earbuds.

  • imajoebob

    Apple’s probably tired of people trying to return their iPod because they think it’s giving them a shock. The Geniuses or service people can point them to the article for the official explanation.

    I never had a problem with my G3 or photo earbuds. But when they died I replaced them with a $9 pair of Sony’s from Target (surprising sound for the price). The first time I took off my fleece pullover while wearing the earbuds under the sweater, I thought somebody had Tasered my head!. My first thought was I got a shock from cheap-crap earbuds. But when I pulled my arm out of the last sleeve and heard distinct “crack” of static I knew what really happened.

    I’ve since bought a nice pair of Sennheiser MX-70s (great sound – freaky green cable). They’re not perfect, but with just basic care, walking “The Green Mile” is less menacing. My Apple earbuds were the previous generation, so I’d guess that the new ones use a different coating for the wires, or at least a thinner one. They’re probably just as good or better acoustically, but they’re able to do this using a greater share of cheap-crap parts.

    Just ground yourself occasionally to “degauss” the wires. After driving your 1990′s Honda, never EVER touch the door handle with earbuds on, or your head may explode like Wile E. Coyote. Static buildup was so extreme in these cars that NYC toll collectors refused to take money from their drivers. Like Apple, Honda issued a service bulletin explaining static shock. A new formula tire lacked enough carbon to ground the car, and the tires built up huge static charges.

  • Andrew

    I get shocked by a particular coat in combo with the new in earphones with inline remote. Kina annoying because it’s right into the inside of the ear!

  • http://andymerrett.co.uk Andy Merrett

    Heh, I’m quite surprised that I’ve never had a shock off earbuds, as I tend to get static shocks off everything else (car doors, other people, my dog…)

  • David

    I exchanged my first iPhone because of this problem. Then I exchanged the earbuds, but it continued. It happens when I wear a jacket and the iPhone is in the inside pocket. It got to the point where I don’t wear that jacket when I’m using the earbuds. Now that summer is here, I don’t notice it as much. I think it occurs when it’s cold and dry outside and the iPhone is in your jacket pocket.

  • Oskar

    It has happened to me and a friend!

  • Desi4_

    i dont know about static but just recently ive notice my apple ear buds have been zapping me

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_B2KTYS3CDL7RVVJHB3I4QEURGI Diego Toad

    I just tried ear buds today for the first time (I usually use over the ear types instead) and started running on the treadmill.  Within 30 seconds I was receiving small consistent shocks in one or both ears about every 3 to 4 seconds.   After about a minute, the ear buds were gone.  I don’t need the extra pain.   I do have to say that this happened with one other set of headphones after long wear and tear but with the ear buds it was a first time thing.  Never again.