The year 2024 has been another very good one for wireless earbuds. We have reached a point where every tech giant is operating on all cylinders. of apple airpods proSamsung's Galaxy Buds 3 Proand Google's pixel buds pro 2 Each is fantastic in its own right and is quite comparable in the features they provide. Are there benefits depending on which one you choose? Sure. Samsung's new voice controls are extremely convenient. Google wins in terms of comfort. and apple is new hearing health facilities Really above the bar for what we expect from consumer earbuds. But in terms of everyday performance, they are all far apart from each other.
As for over-ear headphones, Sonos unveils its long-rumored ace headphones This year. his marquee move, tv audio swapThere's the ability to receive audio from a Sonos soundbar for personal listening – a good example of a brand trying to muster a unique selling point in a competitive market, while Apple, Samsung and Google are laser-focused on interplay within their own. Ecosystem. (Of course, Sonos headphones were almost forgotten heap of controversies Brought to you by the company's modified mobile app.)
But this year has confirmed that you don't have to spend big to get great value. Apple brings its own Active Noise Cancellation Less expensive AirPods 4With nothing ear and budget priced ear (A), nothing Proved once again that it can compete With long-established earbud manufacturers – and outdesigning many of them. From a style point of view, it is difficult to choose between the attractive yellow color of the ear (A) or beats candy red solo budsBut nothing gives you more bang for your buck than Apple's brand.
also saw 2024 Jabra exits the consumer earbuds marketThe company spent years crafting worthy alternatives to AirPods and other products during the early waves of true wireless earbuds, but Jabra lost its momentum and failed to stand out meaningfully with its recent Elite earbuds. elite 10 gen 2 Excellent in all respects but when they represent the end of the line it's hard to recommend them.
As far as this category goes, earbuds are rapidly evolving into devices whose purpose extends far beyond audio consumption. Apple's AirPods Pro 2 now offer a powerful trifecta of hearing health features: You can wear them as hearing protection, take tests to assess your own hearing loss, or turn the earbuds into clinical-grade over-the-counter headphones. -Can be used as an over-the-counter hearing aid. I expect we'll see other industry giants like Sony, Samsung, and Google bring similar capabilities to their future buds – perhaps as soon as next year.
Fitness tracking is another area where we'll continue to see earbuds offer new benefits. has heart rate tracking becoming relatively commonand the next generation Powerbeats Pro, early 2025Rumored to include useful feature.
As far as the New Year is concerned, Sony's long-popular 1000X series Due for refresh. The 1000XM6 earbuds (and headphones) seem like a lock for 2025. I think the same is true for the next AirPods Pro; Apple will reportedly release a redesigned third-generation pair sometime next year. On the other hand, both Samsung and Google have released new models in the last six months, I wouldn't expect much from them in the near future.
For you audio lovers, there are likely to be more earbuds arriving in 2025 that can stream lossless audio wirelessly. Qualcomm's most advanced chips Start introducing new products from different brands – potentially including Sennheiser, Bose and others. As far as other features are concerned, I'm curious to what extent earbud makers will leverage AI chatbots. Google's Pixel Buds Pro make it possible to have a full-fledged conversation with Gemini Live. Will other brands want to provide similar experiences with different AI platforms?
With headphones and earbuds from dozens of brands expected at CES 2025, the new year is sure to be off to a busy start. Hopefully there will be some real surprises among the group.
Photography by Chris Welch/The Verge