The year 2024 has been another very good year for wireless headphones. We have reached a point where all the tech giants are firing on all cylinders. Apple's AirPods Pro, Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2 are all fantastic in their own right and fairly comparable in the features they offer. Are there advantages depending on which one you choose? Sure. Samsung's new voice controls are super convenient. Google wins in convenience. And Apple's new hearing health features really raise the bar for what we expect from consumer headphones. But in terms of daily performance, they are all within striking distance of each other.
As for over-ear headphones, Sonos introduced its long-rumored Ace headphones this year. Its star trick, TV Audio Swap, is the ability to receive audio from a Sonos soundbar for private listening, a good example of a brand trying to put together a unique selling point in a competitive market, while Apple, Samsung and Google are doing laser. focused on interaction within their respective ecosystems. (Of course, Sonos' headphones were all but forgotten in the avalanche of controversy sparked by the company's revised mobile app.)
But this year has reinforced the fact that you don't have to spend a lot to find great value. Apple added active noise cancellation to its less expensive AirPods 4. With the value-priced Nothing Ear and Ear (a), Nothing once again proved that it can compete with long-established headphone manufacturers and out-design many of them. Style-wise, it's tough to choose between the Ear(a)'s striking yellow or Beats' candy-red Solo Buds, but nothing gives you more bang for your buck than the Apple brand.
In 2024, Jabra also exited the consumer headset market. The company spent years producing worthy alternatives to AirPods and other products during the first waves of true wireless earbuds, but Jabra lost its momentum and failed to stand out significantly with its most recent Elite earbuds. The Elite 10 Gen 2 are excellent in every way, but difficult to recommend when they represent the end of the line.
As for where the category is headed, headphones are rapidly evolving into devices with a purpose that goes far beyond audio consumption. Apple's AirPods Pro 2 now offer a powerful trifecta of hearing health features: you can use them as hearing protection, take a test to measure your own hearing loss, or use the earbuds as clinical-grade hearing aids without a prescription. I would expect that we'll see other industry heavyweights like Sony, Samsung, and Google bring similar capabilities to their future friends, perhaps as early as next year.
Fitness tracking is another area where we will continue to see headphones offer new benefits. Heart rate tracking is becoming relatively common and the next-generation Powerbeats Pro, due to launch in early 2025, are rumored to include this useful feature.
As for the new year, Sony's popular 1000X series is due for an update. The 1000XM6 headphones (and earbuds) seem like a lock for 2025. I think the same goes for the upcoming AirPods Pro; Apple will reportedly launch a redesigned third-generation pair next year. On the other hand, given that Samsung and Google have released new models in the last six months, I wouldn't expect much from them in the near future.
For audiophiles, more headphones that can stream lossless audio wirelessly are likely to be introduced in 2025 as more advanced chips from Qualcomm begin to proliferate in new products from various brands, potentially including Sennheiser, Bose and others. As for other features, I'm curious to what extent headset manufacturers will take advantage of ai chatbots. Google's Pixel Buds Pro allow you to have complete conversations with Gemini Live. Will other brands look to offer a similar experience with different ai platforms?
The new year is sure to get off to a busy start right off the bat, with headphones and earbuds from dozens of brands expected at CES 2025. Hopefully, there will be some genuine surprises among the bunch.
Photography by Chris Welch/The Verge
