Open earbuds sales rise 12% as wireless earbuds market falls

Open earbuds are gaining ground while the wider wireless earbuds market contracts, according to figures from global technology analyst Omdia cited by TechRadar’s Tom Bedford. In the year leading up to the second quarter of 2026, open-ear sales increased by 12%, while the overall wireless earbuds market fell by about 2%. Open earbuds accounted for 13.5% of sales of true wireless stereo (TWS) products.

Clip-on designs made up 61% of open-ear sales, with hook-style models accounting for the other 39%. The strongest growth came in the budget segment: sales of open earbuds priced below $50, including the Soundpeats Pop Clip2, rose by more than 320%.

Bedford argues that the figures reflect interest in simpler devices that provide a core function without adding many connected or “smart” features. Open earbuds leave the ear canals unblocked, so users can hear their surroundings. He says many models also omit features such as AI assistants, health tools and real-time language translation, which can help keep prices down.

The article also says open earbuds often have longer single-charge battery life than noise-cancelling earbuds. Bedford estimates 10–12 hours for the open models he tests, compared with about 6–8 hours for standard noise-cancelling earbuds. These are his estimates, not figures attributed to Omdia.