Apple unveils ‘EarPods’ headphones, available today for $29

For the first time in several years, Apple’s iconic white earbuds have undergone a major redesign. Now branded EarPods — a name first uncovered by 9to5Mac — the refreshed accessory lines up perfectly with a leak from earlier this month. Apple is promising significant audio quality improvements from the new earphones, claiming “a more natural fit and increased durability, and an incredible acoustic quality typically reserved for higher-end earphones.” EarPods do away with the large, single speaker grille found in Apple’s prior headphones in favor of two smaller ones that help “direct sound into the ear.” The new design also provides increased protection against sweat and water, says Apple, a welcome change to anyone using them for workouts.

They’ll come prepackaged with the just-announced iPhone 5, iPod touch, and iPod Nano. As you might expect, there’s an inline remote for controlling volume and voice calls. EarPods are available as a standalone accessory beginning today for $29.