Wireless earbuds saw significant innovation in 2024, with manufacturers such as Apple prioritising hearing health and sound quality while Sony reintroducing open-ear style and OnePlus democratising premium features. With innovative features ranging from enhanced transparency modes to AI-assisted controls, the following earbuds set benchmarks in their respective categories:

Google’s flagship earbuds deliver natural-sounding transparency, long battery life, and advanced features like Gemini support and hearing wellness tools, making them ideal for Android users in the Google ecosystem.

• Strengths: Transparency mode, battery life, hearing wellness
• Weaknesses: No lossless audio codec, non-customisable touch controls

Price: Rs 22,900

Apple’s AirPods 4 introduce ANC in an open-ear design, offering comfort and seamless integration within the Apple ecosystem.

• Strengths: Comfort, ecosystem integration, nod gesture control
• Weaknesses: Limited battery life, sound leakage

Price: Rs 17,900

Feature-packed earbuds with spatial audio, head-tracking, and LHDC codec support, designed primarily for Android but also compatible with iPhones via a companion app.

• Strengths: Spatial audio, game mode, cross-device adaptability
• Weaknesses: Call voice quality, modest battery life

Price: Rs 11,999

A premium option with effective ANC, support for high-quality audio codecs on Android, and Bluetooth LE, tailored for audiophiles.

• Strengths: ANC, premium codec support, Bluetooth LE
• Weaknesses: Limited sound personalisation, iPhone compatibility

Price: Rs 19,999

Sony LinkBuds Open (WF-L910)

Sony’s unique open-ear earbuds with innovative features like Wide Area Tap for gesture control and spatial audio, ideal for casual listening.

• Strengths: Wide Area Tap, background music effect, battery life
• Weaknesses: Flat sound profile, call voice quality

Price: Rs 19,990