People have had the option to use bluetooth headphones since 1999. Removing the headphone jack from iPhones wasn't some revolution. Apple simple took away a choice.

Bluetooth audio was awful for a long time, and not a serious replacement for wired headphones until very recently. It's clear that companies remove the jack to simplify manufacturing and cut costs, but at least BT headphones are usable nowadays. So as much as I disliked the trend when Apple started it, I'm not as annoyed by it anymore. Save for the hassle of BT pairing, which can sometimes be wonky, but this isn't an issue on Apple devices, AFAIK.

I personally know a lot of people who didn't realize wireless headphones were a thing pre-Airpods. They seriously thought Apple created that market with the first wireless headphones.

I imagine a lot of people didn't know or think about wireless headphones until Apple made it a thing.