From Shahid Kapoor to Zendaya, wired earphones are back in style. But is it just a fashion, or is there something more serious going on? Let’s break down the trend.
The wired headphones are making a big and unexpected comeback!
Yes, those “boomer”, messy, tangled wired headphones are trending again — and how!
From Indian celebrities like Shahid Kapoor, Ahaan Panday, and Tiger Shroff to Hollywood stars like Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, and Drake have regularly been spotted using these newly “GenZ-coded” wired earphones.
Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack from iPhones in 2016 signalled the death of wired earphones. And, for a while, it kind of did.
After Apple, companies like Google, Samsung, Motorola, and nearly every other major smartphone brand ditched headphone jacks from their devices.
Earlier, as wired headphones faded into the background, neckbands were the trend, and then earbuds became the go-to choice for consumers.
But over the past few months, the resurgence and revival of wired headphones has been astonishing.
Articles were written, videos were created, and podcasts were recorded to explain why celebrities are choosing wired headphones over wireless ones.
Everyone had a theory. Was it a fashion thing? An audio quality thing? A privacy thing? Or just celebrity culture doing what it does like making something old look new again?
It also reignited the classic “wired vs. wireless” debate.
For some, security risks and technological vulnerabilities became major concerns. And, as often happens with internet debates, the conversation eventually drifted into conspiracy-laden claims about the risks of Bluetooth radiation and its supposed effects on health.
In this article, we are giving you a fair and honest take on the wired vs. wireless headphones debate, specifically on security, privacy, and health.
First of all, who started the debate?
Kamala Harris. It all began in August 2025, when the former U.S. Vice President appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote her new book.
During the interview, she jokingly said that she preferred wired earphones because they are more secure.
She said, “I served on the Senate Intelligence Committee. I have been in classified briefings, and I’m telling you — don’t be on the train using your AirPods thinking somebody can’t listen to your conversation. I’m just telling you, the [wired earphones] are a little bit more secure.”
If the former U.S. Vice President says something like this, it is bound to create noise.
1. Wired vs. Wireless: Security Risk
Wireless earbuds use Bluetooth technology, which works by using short-range radio frequency signals to connect devices that are nearby. Depending on how it is configured, Bluetooth can be fairly secure.
Bluetooth devices constantly send and receive wireless signals. This creates what cybersecurity experts call an “attack surface”. It means there are more opportunities for hackers to target the device.
According to US government’s Cyber Defense Agency, many Bluetooth devices still rely on short numeric PINs instead of stronger passwords or passphrases. It makes them easier to exploit.
Wired headphones, on the other hand, do not have this issue because they do not use radio signals, pairing systems, or Bluetooth chips that constantly broadcast your information. They simply transmit audio through a physical cable.
That is why wired audio is generally considered more secure than wireless audio.
2. Wired vs. Wireless: Who Can Actually Be Hacked?
Real vulnerabilities do exist in wireless devices.
German IT security researchers at ERNW uncovered three vulnerabilities in a Bluetooth chipset that could allow hackers to spy on calls, steal contact and call history data, and potentially install malware on your phone.
Researchers have also demonstrated attacks where fake Bluetooth devices successfully impersonate trusted ones.
That said, modern Bluetooth security is significantly better than it was a decade ago. Encryption, authentication, secure pairing protocols, and regular firmware updates have all made a real difference. Apple, Samsung, Sony, and others invest heavily in patching vulnerabilities quickly.
In wired headphones, by comparison, there is no chip to exploit, no firmware to compromise, no signal to intercept. The attack surface is essentially zero.
As a result, wired headphones generally do not face the same category of remote wireless vulnerabilities that Bluetooth-based devices do.
3. Wired vs. Wireless: Tracking and Privacy
The UK’s Ministry of Justice has noted that Bluetooth devices can be used to track your physical location.
Your phone constantly scans for nearby Bluetooth devices and Wi-Fi access points to refine its location data but other devices can do the same to you, effectively mapping your movements.
Apple introduced anti-tracking features partly because Bluetooth-based tracking became a documented problem with smart accessories.
For celebrities who already deal with paparazzi, stalker fans, and unwanted surveillance, minimising their wireless footprint makes a lot of sense. Fewer wireless signals means less digital exposure.
4. Wired vs. Wireless: Do Bluetooth Headphones Cause Cancer?
No. Bluetooth devices do not cause cancer or any other harm to the brain. This particular claim is purely a myth.
Bluetooth uses non-ionising radio frequency (RF) radiation, the same type used by your TV remote, Wi-Fi router, and FM radio.
Non-ionising means it lacks the energy to break chemical bonds or damage DNA, which is what makes ionising radiation dangerous.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets strict safety limits for radiation from electronic devices. Bluetooth emissions are far below those limits.
If you are switching to wired headphones because you are worried about cancer, the science does not back that up. Both are safe on this front.
That said, if you want to reduce any exposure out of personal preference, removing wireless earbuds when not in use is a perfectly reasonable choice.
Does it mean we should not use wireless headphones?
No — that’s not what experts suggest.
Although Bluetooth security flaws do exist, they are difficult to exploit in real-world situations. Carrying out such attacks usually requires close physical proximity and advanced technical knowledge.
Celebrities and politicians may be more attractive targets for such advanced cyberattacks. This does not mean they are commonly or easily hacked through Bluetooth alone.
For most people, wireless earbuds are generally safe to use. Bluetooth attacks are rare, and modern devices receive frequent security updates from companies that fix known vulnerabilities.
If you still want to be on the safer side, you can keep in mind these 5 quick tips:
- Keep your devices updated. Companies regularly patch security flaws. If your earbuds have an app, check for updates.
- Turn Bluetooth off when you’re not using it.
- Avoid pairing in crowded public places.
- Don’t accept unknown pairing requests. If a device you don’t recognise tries to connect, reject it.
- Use a strong PIN. If your device lets you set one, ditch the default four-digit code.
So, while no technology is 100% risk-free, the likelihood of an average person being hacked through wireless headphones is extremely low.
Title: Wired vs. Wireless Headphones: Why Celebrities Are Ditching Bluetooth
Fact Check By: Fact Crescendo Team
Result: Insight
