Apple AirPods still work and practically unscathed after 10ft drop test, washing machine cycle and water submersion

Yesterday, we shared a video of a marathon runner testing the real-world resilience of the AirPods as fitness workout headphones. Apple doesn’t claim that the wireless earbuds are waterproof so there were some fears that they would be ruined by sweat or simply fall out.

These concerns appear unfounded as the AirPods excelled in that test and now another video show the AirPod earbuds and case going through multiple drop tests, water submersion and even a washing machine cycle with detergent. Incredibly, they still work after all of that with only minor scuffs …

The AirPods were tested for water and drop resistance by YouTuber EverythingApplePro — it’s fair to say he was surprised by the results. In the video, the AirPods are dropped in case and standalone from waist height, head height and ten feet.  The AirPods were hitting hard floor and bouncing around multiple times, a worst case test.

After all three drops, the AirPods continued to work and play music as good as new. The earbuds came away practically unscathed; the tester could not discern a difference in sound quality after the abuse. The AirPods Case sustained scuffs to the glossy plastic (which is likely to happen over time in normal use) nevertheless it continued to function and connect instantly to the iPhone.

Ten foot drops are almost never going to be a reality in real-world use of AirPods, but it is reassuring to know they are durable.

More impressively, the video then shows the AirPods going through a 30-minute wash cycle, simulating what would happen if you sent your jeans for a wash and forgetting the AirPods were in a pocket, in the washing machine and then dried in the tumble dryer.

Watch the waterproof tests at about 6 minutes into the video:

The vibrations of the machine made the AirPods Case lid open so the earbuds were also rattling around the drum. Incredibly, the AirPods once again pair instantly to the iPhone and music quality from the buds is good. The case and buds are then submerged in a foot of water and still survive — you can even hear them playing music whilst underwater.

Apple’s technical specifications do not promise water resistance so I wouldn’t recommend repeating the tests or swimming with them necessarily. However, if you are concerned about the AirPods can handle rain, sweat or day-to-day wear and tear, this video should provide reassurance that they are very durable.

If you are still on the fence about AirPods, then check out our ongoing coverage of the product including my initial hands on with Apple’s truly-wireless headphones from yesterday. AirPods are on sale for $159 (Apple, Best Buy) but stock is very limited with most retailers backordered until well into 2017.