"Maybe the safer bet would be to say "in <X> style" in the same way you would make a Missionary chest of drawers, Shaker coat rack, or an Arts and Crafts writing desk. No copyright infringement there, and people will draw whatever conclusions about your inspirations they want."

"Have you not railed against the over functionality of devices within the last six months? How then is this a justifiable reason to ditch the industry standard for headphones? The reasons Apple did it are simple:1. It's different and edgy. This is Apple's MO with their phones. Be technologically avant garde because their client base has to stand out as elite.2. Proprietary technology means profit. Apple is one of the most restricted phone makers in the industry. This is one more way they can control who makes accessories for their products. Officially, it's all about ensuring a smooth interaction for the user. Reality though is that Apple makes a tidy profit licensing out their proprietaries."