The perks of the new Apple wireless earphones appear to have fallen on deaf ears, with questions emerging about their practicality and safety amid concerns the micro speakers could be a potential choking hazard.

Apple unveiled the AirPods on Wednesday, describing them as "innovative new wireless headphones that use advanced technology to reinvent how we listen to music, make phone calls, enjoy TV shows and movies, play games and interact with Siri."

The thinking behind the wireless AirPods was to "eliminate the hassles of wireless headphones," with sensors that can automatically play and pause music.

They will retail at $229 from October and will have a five-hour battery life and are designed to be kept inside a charging case when not in use.