2019 was the year cordless earbuds went mainstream.
The space continues to be driven by Apple, which presently manages 43%of the marketplace (a number that will likely increase with the arrival of the AirPod Pros), but its near future seems predestined to be defined by a race to the bottom. With Apple, Samsung, Sony and Google fighting it out for the luxury of the market, other players are determined to undercut the competition on price.
At $30, JLab’s Go Air Real Wireless Earbuds (the first and last time I’m going to type that full name) are positioned ideal around Xiaomi’s category-defining AirDots. The Chinese maker controls around 7%of the marketplace (a notch above Samsung’s more superior offerings), and it seems well-positioned to duplicate its physical fitness band market share success with such offerings.
So, where does that leave JLab? Well, there’s a great deal of market to be had. As more phone manufacturers avoid headphone jacks on even mid-range handsets, there’s bound to be a rush on low-price wireless earbuds. The Go Air are, well, absolutely nothing if not that. Rate is their specifying particular. And honestly, that’s fine.
Here’s the thing: I have actually been walking around with the AirPods Pro in my ears for a while now. I was less hot on the original AirPods, but these really feel like the category done. However it’s unfair to any party included to compare the 2. You can buy 8 and a third pairs of these for the price of the Pros. Different rate points, various markets, various customers.
And while it holds true that JLab has actually already gone a ways toward saturating the marketplace with various designs, low expense is the defining characteristic. The company declares to be the leading maker of sub-$100 cordless earbuds in the U.S. And the Go Airs are the lowest of the low. On paper, it’s certainly a good deal. The earbuds are light, get 5 hours on a charge (plus 15 from the case) and are sweat resistant.
I have actually just been playing around with them for the day, and I’ve got a smattering of problems. The sound isn’t what you would consider “great.” They’re quite reminiscent of that $10 pair of earbuds you bought at Walgreens in a pinch. The earbuds and the charging case both feel low-cost (and I definitely can’t talk to how long they’ll last), while a USB C and even microUSB port has actually been traded for a half-USB adapter dongle.
Also, unlike many models, the earbuds do not immediately shut off when they leave your ears.
Honestly, any quibble I have here comes with the giant, red-lettered caution that the things are just $30 If absolutely nothing else, it shows how quickly such items have actually gone from high-end to commodity.
They’ll strike retail in March.
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