Another year, another leap forward in hearables. Anyone trying the latest AirPods Pro from Apple or Galaxy Buds+ from Samsung will be convinced they never have to buy another pair of earbuds again. So satisfying is the experience, so good the sound, so comfortable the wear, it will seem as if hearable devices have reached the peak of their evolution.
If that
sounds familiar, you may be feeling nostalgic for 2013, when every major
manufacturer produced a magnificent handset that suggested no more improvement
was needed.
Samsung’s S4
drew the Koreans level with Apple, despite the iPhone 5 expanding the range
with the C and S models. Huawei finally arrived on the main stage, with the P6
claiming laurels for the thinnest smartphone in the world. HTC took its last
serious bow with the One M7, named best new mobile device at the Mobile World
Congress that year, thanks to numerous design advances. The Nokia Lumia 1020
was “the cameraphone to end all cameraphones”, according to Verge. LG stunned
the market by almost eliminating the bezel on the sides of the G2, and claiming
that its software could learn and adapt from user behaviour.
Why would
any manufacturer ever try to improve on the peak of handset evolution? Yet,
they did. And still do.
Expect the
same from earbuds.
Which tell
us that, a decade or so from now, the capabilities of hearables will be
outrageous. Gyroscopes and accelerometers for positioning and exercise
tracking, enhanced bone conduction with pro-level microphones, biosensors for anything
from heart rate to brain electrical activity, instant translation of any
language, and artificial intelligence connecting everything, await these
devices in the near future.
A taste of
that future already exists. Jabra, which remains one of the few brands to
innovate in hearables without benefit of a smartphone ecosystem, claimed the
world’s first wireless stereo earbuds with integrated heart rate monitor
already back in 2014, with the Sports Pulse.
At the end
of last year, it unveiled its new flagship, the Jabra Elite 85t, and reminded
the world that Apple and Samsung did not own the hearable category. That was
despite the former debuting the AirPods Pro shortly before, and claiming
leadership in the category of active noise cancellation. That may be
abbreviated as ANC, but has little to do with South Africa’s political chaos.
Rather, it is the gold standard in ensuring that unwanted noise does not degrade
sounds reaching the ear.
The 85t, as Jabra’s first earbuds with ANC, has clearly gone head-to-head with the AirPods. Even their prices are similar — both go for around R5,000 in South Africa.
Given Apple’s
leadership in the category, merely to be compared is a triumph for Jabra. But
is it comparable?
Consider these comparisons: 5.5-hours battery life, compared to 4.5 for the AirPods Pro (both go to 24 hours with their charging cases); “hear-through’ mode and adaptive listening, compared to Apple’s Transparency Mode and adaptive EQ; (they means broadly similar things); adjustable ANC versus “plain” vanilla ANC; voice assistance from Siri and Google Assistant versus “plain” old Siri…
A picture — or maybe, sound — starts emerging of a hearable that may not sound obviously better, but takes each sub-category of built-in technology a small step further. The Jabra Sound+ app also offers far more control and guidance than the AirPods Pro device option on an iPhone. Mostly, it allows a level of personalisation — pay attention to the adjustable ANC — that would be alien to Apple users.
Even the
unboxing experience is superior: the 85t reveals itself in layers, with each
adding both information and accessories. Four different plug sizes are provided
to personalize the device further.
None of
this will convince AirPods user. After all, they have already convinced
themselves that the stalks sticking out of their ears don’t look ridiculous.
But Android users who want to keep up with the tech their Apple-using friends
enjoy can’t go wrong with the Jabra Elite 85t.
Oh, and another decade or so from now, they may not even have to worry about the phone brands. Chances are, the handset will disappear completely into the earbuds.
- Arthur Goldstuck is founder of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram on @art2gee.
Click below to read about other options available besides the AirPods and Elites
