this post was submitted on 23 Apr 2024
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Replacing a single earbud is $49, and the case is another $49, so replacing all three batteries is $147, which at least for the regular model is close to buying new AirPods. It's pretty much a given that the repair costs more than the product is worth after a new model launches.
Apple also doesn't swap the batteries, they replace the earbuds completely, "recycling" otherwise fully intact earphones. Not sure about the case.
You're right that they probably last more than two years (that depends on a lot of factors though), and while features like adaptive charging hints that Apple doesn't want them to die quite as quickly, they still aren't designed to last and certainly aren't designed to be repairable.