Jabra’s CES 2018 appearance led to the announcement of three new wireless headsets; two standard earbud models and a neckband-styled solution. The new generation of earphones from the company includes the Jabra Elite 65t earbuds, the water-resistant Jabra Elite Active 65t which appears to be a successor to the Elite Sport, and the Elite 45e neckband which seems to be a sequel to the Jabra Elite 25e featuring the same form factor.
Both the Jabra Elite 65t and Elite Active 65t should deliver a more comfortable design compared to the previous models, all the while improving upon battery life and performance. Furthermore, both models offer built-in voice support for virtual assistants including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and even Apple’s Siri. They should offer up to five hours of audio playback on a single battery charge, and the carrying case comes with its own internal battery able to hold two additional charges. The main difference between the Elite 65t and Elite Active 65t lies in the latter model’s inclusion of an integrated accelerometer, making it ideal for fitness-oriented applications, as well as its IP56 water resistance. Finally, there is the Elite 45e which is also wireless but comes with a neckband design employing a soft memory wire. According to the OEM, the Jabra Elite 45e features a unique box microphone solution that should match and surpass the voice clarity of any stereo wireless headphones. All three earbud models will be compatible with the Jabra Sound+ smartphone application giving users more control over the way they’re listening to their music.
The first pair of wireless earbuds planned to hit the market is the Jabra Elite 65t which will reportedly ship by the end of January for the price of $170 or its regional equivalent. Meanwhile, the fitness-focused Jabra Elite Active 65t will carry a slightly higher price tag of $190, placing them well below the price tag of the Jabra Elite Sport earbuds which are currently available at $249. The new Elite Active 65t should ship in April and the same launch timeframe also applies to the Elite 45e which will be of the affordable variety, priced at $100.