Xiaomi will soon introduce a new type of open-ear headphones. How do you like them?

Xiaomi has a diverse range of headphones in its portfolio, but until now, it lacked a specific type of design made famous by models like Huawei FreeClip or Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. We are referring to clip-on headphones, which attach to the middle part of the ear’s auricle and, instead of completely sealing the ear canal, allow users to perceive ambient sounds. Following the OpenWear series models, most recently the OpenWear Stereo Pro with a behind-the-ear hook, Xiaomi is now finally preparing to enter this segment as well. Whether this is driven by a pure desire to experiment or weaker sales of existing OpenWear models is not yet clear.

Glossy Design with a Transparent Sphere

The new product was officially confirmed by Lu Weibing, President of Xiaomi, on the Weibo social network. The headphones immediately catch the eye with their glossy body, and a transparent acoustic sphere with a surface resembling a vinyl record, into which the driver itself is integrated, also stands out. In terms of colors, the manufacturer has so far shown the Satin Gold and Pearl White finishes.

Flagship Features Despite an Unusual Format

Each earbud weighs only 5.5 grams and uses an arc bridge made of memory titanium, designed to evenly distribute pressure on the ear cartilage. Confirmed technologies include the LHDC 5.0 codec, Hi-Res Audio certification, a diaphragm with a microcrystalline metal coating, and a trio of microphones with AI noise reduction for calls. Xiaomi also mentions reverse sound wave technology, which is intended to limit sound leakage to the surroundings, a noticeable weakness in open-ear headphones.

Complete specifications, including battery capacity and price, will likely be revealed on May 21, when Xiaomi will introduce the new product along with the Xiaomi 17 Max phone and the Smart Band 10 Pro fitness tracker.

The question remains whether the clip-on headphones will be released outside of China. Given that Xiaomi has globalized virtually every audio product in recent years, including the OpenWear series, their potential European debut makes sense. However, the brand might set a more ambitious price tag than we are used to from them in the headphone segment.

Would you give clip-on headphones a chance, or do you remain loyal to in-ear models?

Sources: Lu Weibing/Weibo (1, 2), Gizmochina