I think the general neagtivity might be from a $250 set of headphones that aren’t great in all situations.
It’s not just an apple problem, but expensive tech just doesn’t seem to work well. generally apple were kinda the gold standard, now they’re having issues like a lot of tech.
I'm surprised of the general positivity of the previous version, also $250. When the Airpods Pro 2 had been out, it seemed like there was non-stop complaining about how every firmware update made the ANC worse, the sound quality was worse than Sony, continual clicks and rattles, and how they were designed for battery failure.
Just goes to show how negative opinions travel fast.
Not every expensive device works well, but the tech products that typically work best tend to not be the cheapest ones. There is plenty of subpar expensive tech, but much less top-tier inexpensive stuff.
Of course, that doesn't mean it can't suffice for the average user.