5 Reasons Apple Headphones Are The Actual Worst

This should sound familiar.

You're about to go out for a morning run, or you're waiting at the bus stop on your way to work, and you take the iPhone out of your pocket, scroll down to your favorite song and plug in the headphones that came with your device -- you're ready to rock out. But then you discover the headphones aren't working. Music is playing, but none of the sweet, sweet sound is pumping into your ears.

Your Apple headphones are dead.

EarPods, the current model of earbuds Apple bundles with its new iPhones and iPods, were released in September 2012. At the time, the design and technology behind the headphones were hailed as an improvement from Apple's previous earbuds, thanks to new features such as a built-in microphone and enhanced sound quality.

Yet, despite improved technology, Apple's EarPods are still lagging behind most other headphones, according to a 2014 review by FindTheBest, a research engine for product reviews.

"Apple is not a headphone company: They don't really work on sound quality, they focus on comfort and look," Ben Taylor, a senior editor at FindTheBest, told The Huffington Post.

So if you've found yourself cursing your EarPods, you're not alone. Here's a definitive explanation of why they suck:

1. They break very easily ...

"When you buy a really nice pair of headphones, a really critical piece is the connectors, the jack that goes into your phone," Taylor told HuffPost. "In Apple's headphones, the connectors are not reinforced. If you're in a rush and yank that cord, it's very easy to damage the headphones."

2. ...like, super easily.

How many is too many, when it comes to replacements for Apple EarPods? Because some people are going through multiple pairs per year.

3. They slip out of your ears when you're running or working out.

When Apple introduced the new EarPods in 2012, the tech giant stated that "the shape of the EarPod is actually defined by the geometry of your ear, but they don't create a seal the way other in-ear headphones do."

The truth is, "the design still doesn't fit everyone," PCMag wrote in 2012.

Right now, people everywhere are at the gym, struggling to keep their headphones from falling out of their ears. This problem is SO 2007.

4. They let sound "spill."

Thanks to the new design, the EarPods boast "great sound for the price" and, in particular, a "surprisingly strong bass," according to PCMag.

However, as you turn up the volume, the EarPods will likely leak some sound -- and disturb the morning commute of your fellow subway passengers.

5. And can we talk about the price?

EarPods are sold on the Apple Store website for $29, which is "10 to 15 percent higher" than the price for similar-quality earbuds from other brands, Taylor said.

"With most of Apple's primary products, the markup is justified because their products are so unique. But with their headphones, the markup is less justified," he added.

No wonder people feel strongly about Apple's headphones.

Listen to your people, Apple! Your EarPods are terrible.