Summary
- Jabra is exiting the earbuds market with the launch of innovative second-gen Elite 8 Active and Elite 10 earbuds, focusing on premium quality.
- Despite exiting the market, Jabra promises continued support for existing customers and plans to reduce inventory by the end of 2024.
- The new Elite 8 Active Gen 2 boasts improved sound quality, enhanced noise cancellation, and a unique LE charging case as a Bluetooth transmitter.
Jabra earbuds do not rank high in our list of the best wireless earbuds. But the company’s Elite and Talk wireless buds still stand out for their exceptional voice call quality and value for money. In a surprising move, though, GN Audio, which owns Jabra, has announced that it is exiting the consumer earbuds market and will gradually wind down the sales of its Elite and Talk earphones. And the company is doing this by announcing its new flagship earbuds: the Elite 10 2nd gen and Elite 8 Active 2nd gen.
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In its announcement, GN notes that it restructured Jabra’s Elite lineup towards the premium segment in 2023. While this move increased the overall profit margins, the company says the “investment required for future innovation and growth in this very competitive space is deemed unjustified in the long-term given associated risks.” Similarly, it is giving up on its Talk earbuds lineup because the demand for mono Bluetooth earbuds is declining.
Going forward, the company will “increase focus and resources on more attractive” parts of its business.
If you already own a pair of Jabra earbuds, do not worry; they won’t suddenly stop working. Jabra has promised to provide support and service to its existing customers for “several years.”
GN Audio expects to reduce the inventory of most Jabra earbuds by the end of 2024. So, you should still see Jabra earbuds on sale for a while.
Jabra is exiting the earbuds market with a bang
Jabra is not quietly exiting the earbuds market, though. Instead, it is launching the second-generation Elite 8 Active and Elite 10 earbuds on its way out. The earphones will be the last products in the lineup and will go on sale later this month.
In addition to the usual improvements in sound quality, noise cancellation, and battery life, they feature an innovative LE Audio charging case that can also act as a Bluetooth transmitter. Plug the charging case into an external device over USB-C or 3.5mm, and it will start transmitting audio from that device to the earbuds. Jabra also claims to have improved the spatial sound on its newest earphones.
While the second-gen Elite 8 Active and Elite 10 earbuds look the same as their predecessor, the former now carries an IP68 certification and a MIL-STD-810H rating for improved durability.
The Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 will cost $279, while the second-gen Elite 8 will retail for $229. They will go on sale in mid-June.
Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2
Jabra claims the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is the “world’s toughest earbuds,” featuring IP68 and MIL-STD-810h ratings. The earbuds deliver improved sound quality, with noise cancelation being twice as effective as their predecessor. The standout feature is the LE charging case, which can act as a Bluetooth transmitter.
- Wired/Wireless
- Wireless
- Battery Life
- Up to 8 hours with ANC, Up to 32 hours with the charging case
- Noise Cancellation
- Adaptive Hybrid ANC
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.3, Bluetooth Multipoint
- Microphones
- 6
- IP Rating
- IP68, IP54 for charging case
- Supported codecs
- LC3
- Charging type
- USB-C, Wireless
- Dimensions and weight (earbuds)
- 19.7 x 19.7 x 29 mm, 5g
- Dimensions and weight (case)
- 24.4 x 46.9 x 65.4 mm, 47.5g
- Price
- $230
