- Open earbuds are now a major focus for JBL
- Sense Pro targets premium open ear listening
- Soundgear Clips blend fashion with awareness
- Endurance Peak 4 brings rare ANC to sports earbuds
JBL arrived at CES 2026 with a clear message. Open fit earbuds are no longer an experiment for the brand. They are a full blown product category, and JBL wants a serious share of it.
After dipping its toe into the space in recent years, the company is now committing real scale, real variety, and real pricing breadth with three new open fit launches, plus an updated sports model that quietly adds a surprise feature.
What stands out is not just the number of products, but how deliberately they are positioned. JBL is no longer treating open earbuds as a niche lifestyle accessory.
Instead, it is carving the space into premium listening, everyday awareness, fashion forward design, and high intensity fitness.
Three open designs, three very different users
The headline products are the Open Sound Sense Pro, Sense Lite, and the all new Soundgear Clips. While they share a common goal of keeping ears open to the world, each model targets a distinct kind of listener.
The Sense Pro is clearly the flagship. It is JBL’s most ambitious attempt yet to prove that open earbuds can still feel premium.
Features like high resolution wireless audio, adaptive bass processing, Bluetooth 6.0, spatial sound, wireless charging, and personalized sound profiles push it well beyond what open designs typically offer. Battery life is also competitive, with a combined total that puts it near the top of the category.
This model feels aimed at listeners who want awareness without compromise. Commuters, office users, and anyone who values sound quality but does not want sealed earbuds will see the appeal here.
JBL is betting that spatial audio and tuning personalization can overcome the natural limitations of open designs.
The Sense Lite trims the excess without losing the core idea. There is no spatial sound or hi res wireless support, but the fundamentals remain strong.
Open Sound technology, reliable water and dust resistance, solid battery life, and a more accessible price make this the practical option. It feels designed for people who like the idea of open earbuds but do not want to pay flagship prices.
Then there are the Soundgear Clips, arguably the most interesting of the trio. This is JBL’s first true ear clip design, leaning into fashion as much as function.
Rather than wrapping around the ear in a sporty arc, these clip on like modern ear cuffs. The result is a product that feels less like workout gear and more like wearable tech.
Color options, touch controls, and a focus on privacy through directional audio all suggest JBL is chasing a younger, style conscious audience here. These are earbuds meant to be seen, not hidden.
Fitness still matters, and now it gets ANC
Alongside the open models, JBL also revealed the Endurance Peak 4. While not truly open ear, it plays an important role in the overall strategy.
The Peak line has always been about stability and durability, and the fourth generation continues that tradition with secure ear hooks and long battery life. The real surprise is the addition of adaptive noise cancelling.
ANC is extremely rare in this segment, and almost unheard of in sports focused earbuds with ear hooks.
By adding noise cancelling, spatial sound, multipoint connectivity, and smart Google features, JBL is clearly trying to blur the line between workout earbuds and everyday listening. This is no longer just a gym accessory.
It is designed to be worn all day, then taken straight into a run or workout without compromise.
A confident signal to the wider market
Taken together, these launches show a brand that has done its homework. JBL is not chasing a single trend. It is building an ecosystem.
Premium users get advanced audio features. Budget conscious buyers get solid performance and awareness. Style focused listeners get something visually distinctive. Athletes get durability with unexpected sophistication.
Open earbuds are still evolving, and not every promise will land perfectly. Spatial audio and bass performance in open designs remain challenging. But JBL’s willingness to experiment at multiple price points suggests confidence, not caution.
CES 2026 may well be remembered as the moment JBL stopped testing the waters and fully committed to open fit audio.
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