In what looks like an embarrassing error, US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) has seized a shipment of OnePlus Buds, believing they were “2,000 counterfeit Apple AirPods,” as spotted by The Verge. “CPB officers at JFK Airport recently seized 2,000 counterfeit Apple AirPods from Hong Kong, valued at $398K had they been genuine,” the agency tweeted.
THAT&aposS NOT AN ? —
CBP officers at JFK Airport recently seized 2,000 counterfeit Apple AirPods from Hong Kong, valued at $398K had they been genuine.
Details via @CBPNewYorkCity: https://t.co/XMgjkfT56i pic.twitter.com/Ofn9REJ9ZB
— CBP (@CBP) September 14, 2020
Despite the resemblance to Apple’s famous stick-like Airpods, however, the box clearly indicates that these are OnePlus Buds. And they’re priced at $80 apiece and not $200 like Apple’s Airpods (with charging case), so the correct value of the shipment is more like $160,000 and not $398,000.
In a press release, CPB said the seizure is an example of how it is “protecting the American public from various dangers on a daily basis.” However, this instead seems to be a head-scratching error, as OnePlus is by now a well-known brand that has been selling smartphones and other products (including its Bullets earphones) in the US for years.
There’s no doubt that the Buds are very similar to AirPods, largely because of the color and stick-like appendage. However, plenty of other brands, including Oppo and even JBL, have “paid homage” to the famous design — and we haven’t heard of the CPB seizing those. In any case, OnePlus USA has definitely taken note of the issue and come back with a cheeky reply.
Hey, give those back! ?
— OnePlus USA (@OnePlus_USA) September 14, 2020
Author: Steve Dent, @stevetdent
3h ago
Source: Engadget
