"CES 2026 may be over, but the personal audio and home entertainment products showcased on the show floor have provided a clearer picture of the trends to expect in these industries throughout the year. As headphones, earbuds, speakers, and soundbars reach the peak of their core functionalities, companies are redefining the boundaries of their products to encourage consumers to upgrade."
"Open-ear earbuds are a growing front for headphone makers to explore, but they'll need to do more than just offer wearers situational awareness. Someone at CES told me that open-ear earbuds are the norm in Asia, but it wasn't until recent years that the American market began to pop its noise-canceling bubbles in exchange for open-ear earbuds. Also: Shokz's latest earbuds have a unique trick that puts them above the OpenRun for me"
Open-ear earbuds are gaining mainstream traction as consumers balance situational awareness with listening quality, prompting makers to add features like noise reduction. Brands historically strong in bone-conduction and open-ear designs are introducing models with improved noise control to appeal to Western markets. Modular home theater systems are expanding as companies offer customizable components and more brands enter the market. Spatial audio is becoming ubiquitous across headphones, earbuds, speakers, and soundbars, driving demand for immersive listening. Core audio functions are reaching maturity, so companies are redefining product boundaries and features to motivate consumer upgrades throughout 2026.
Read at ZDNET
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