Second firm offers to paint your Apple AirPods black, with $249 price tag

New York City-based BlackPods has launched, and is offering "a proprietary coating system" for the AirPods. According to the company, a "three-phase approach" was developed in conjunction with automotive paint specialists to yield a scratch-resistant black set of AirPods, which complements the black, jet black, or space gray iPhone.

Blackpods calls the coloration a "medium-gloss black finish."

A colored pair can be pre-ordered from the company for $249, $50 less than Colorwares's offerings. Where Colorware requires a sealed-in-the-box set for a $169 "bring your own" coloration service, Blackpods colors user-supplied AirPods for $99 that are supplied to the company "in good condition without significant scratches or wear."

Regardless of which coloration package is chosen, the company offers no warranty to users, and the coloration process voids Apple's own warranty.

Announced during September's iPhone 7 event, AirPods were initially promised in October, but production snags pushed back public release to mid-December. Launch supply quickly sold out and the product remains elusive in both Apple's online and brick-and-mortar stores, with arrivals selling out within hours of being placed upon the shelves. Shipment estimates on Apple.com have consistently been quoted at six weeks since release.