Apple redesigned your earbuds to stop them falling out when you're exercising

Apple could be trying to solve a really annoying problem with its earbuds.

It has patented a design for some earbuds that don't fall out of your ears if you try and do some exercise. The patent describes an earpiece with a compliant outer section that forms to fit the user's ear.

This isn't particularly revolutionary when it comes to earbud design in general, but is a step away from the hard earpieces Apple has always sold. They have a tendency to bounce out of your ear if you do anything more strenuous than walking or sitting down, and can get really uncomfortable after a while.

The pliable outer section attaches to the top of the hard earpiece housing:

Then folds back over to cover it:

Here's how that would look on the inside, with uncomfortable bits of plastic nicely covered:

The patent pointed out that these earbuds could connect to a device wirelessly or with a cable.

Apple doesn't always create the products that it patents, so there's no guarantee that our ears will see any relief any time soon.