Earlier today, Bose unveiled the Bose Sport Open Earbuds, a new type of true wireless earbuds that sit above the ears to help keep cyclists, runners and pedestrians safe while out on the road.
They work by placing the driver in a new type of enclosure that sits above the ear canal, rather than inside of it, allowing ambient noise to pass through.
That said, despite their open nature, Bose says the Sport Open Earbuds don’t leak noise – even at high volumes – because they use the company’s proprietary OpenAudio technology. The result? You’ll be able to hear your music playing clearly but no one else will.
Bose says the earbuds are IPX4 rated, making them water-resistant, and weigh a mere 14 grams per bud. The earbuds are good for eight hours per charge, and use Bluetooth 5.1 for a more stable wireless connection.
So when can cyclists get their gloved hands on them? The Bose Sport Open Earbuds will be available starting in mid-January for $199.99 (around £150, AU$250), with pre-orders available now on Bose’s website.
But Bose isn’t the only one offering open audio tech
Though Bose Sport Open Earbuds are definitely unique in their new above-ear design, Bose isn’t the only one thinking about audio passthrough – the Jabra Elite 65t can amplify outside audio using external microphones, as can some larger over-ear headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM4.
Primarily audio passthrough helps keep you safe from cars as you can then hear them approaching – or, if you’re in danger, beeping at you – which is something Bose says a lot of athletes have been asking for.
“Runners and cyclists have been asking us for headphones that let them stay focused on their performance without wires, neckbands, or having to pop out a bud to hear traffic, a training partner, nature, or anything else they don’t want to miss,” said Mehul Trivedi, category director, Bose wearable audio in an email to TechRadar. “Our new Sport Open Earbuds solve all these problems – and they’re the only earbuds that do.”
While that may make the Bose Sport Open Earbuds sound like a niche product, they’re also good for non-life-threatening situations like waiting to hear your seating number get called at the airport or restaurants, too.
Basically you can use them any time you might need to hear something important over a PA and they’ll help to keep you in the loop.
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