See, electronic gadgets need a way to get electrons from point A to point B, then point C, these points being components that do things to the electrons or react to what the electrons are doing. Copper wire is just about the best way known to do that.
If it were perhaps a mechanical gadget instead, it wouldn't need any complicated wires or resistors and such, it would need things like screws, levers, gears, and stuff. A lot of those things are even more complicated and harder to fix than some electronic gadgets. Compare, for example, a small-block V-8 to, say, a pair of headphones.
OTOH, I know where you're coming from in your complaint. Headphones in general have some of the smallest solder connections around, and some of the poorest strain relief. Still, careful handling always gives longer life, and I can't help but wonder from your description of the failure how the headphones have been treated. Are they carefully adjusted for fit, or does the wearer yank the earpiece down into place? Are they removed gently, or yanked by the wires and tossed onto a nearby table or floor, or worse, stuffed into a pocket and sat upon? Is the connector pulled from the appliance by the heavy part of connector's plug or by pulling the wire itself? No accusations, just wondering from what I've seen in my own house done to my own equipment. Before it got locked away.
Almost have 20-30 earphones/headphones broken, either the wire came off, the part broke itself or just plain mishandling. But the one I was talking about is very expensive. I never bought any new earphone for more than 5$, and the most expensive was about 10+$ but this one costs almost 30-40US$!!! 
Its the most expensive earphone that I have bought, and just can't believe it went broken in less than several months. 
