Fitness trackers nowadays come in various shapes, sizes, and disguised as a variety of products ranging from smartwatches and fitness bands, to other accessories such as smart rings or even necklaces. But one of the more successful and increasingly common form factors is the fitness-focused earbud, and Jabra has now unveiled a new product in this category called the Jabra Elite Sport. The earbuds are described by the manufacturer as “the most technically advanced true wireless sports earbuds” (by April 12, 2016).
According to the official product description, the Jabra Elite Sport wireless earbuds are designed to withstand “the most high-energy training and workout sessions”, and the company backs this claim with technical specifications including a US Military-grade IP67 waterproof rating (up to 1 meter for 30 minutes). Sure enough, this might be a strong selling point for prospective buyers looking for this type of product, especially considering the fact that similar products like the Samsung Gear IconX don’t offer waterproofing. As for autonomy, the battery powering the earbuds should provide enough energy for up to 3 hours of continuous play time, but it’s interesting to note that the charging case provided with the earbuds can hold 2 additional full charges for up to 6 hours of audio playback. Fitness-wise the earbuds are equipped with what the manufacturer calls “clinical grade in-ear heart rate monitor”, and a tri-axis accelerometer called TrackFit Motion Counting Sensor. End users can rely on the gadget to track time, speed, pace, steps, distance, cadence, calories burned, heart rate, heart rate zone, repetitions, VO2 max estimation, and even provides wearers with real time audio coaching.
The Jabra Elite Sport earbuds connect to Android and iOS devices through the Jabra Sport Life companion app and via Bluetooth 4.1. The product is also equipped with 4 digital MEMS microphones which come in useful when answering incoming calls, boasting a frequency range of 100Hz to 10kHz, and advanced noise cancellation technology. It also offers playback and call controls, as well as Siri and Google Now activation. The Jabra Elite Sport earbuds are available for pre-order on the manufacturer’s website for the price of $249.99, and apparently, the product will hit the shelves on October 30 exclusively via Best Buy.
