On April 12th, Shokz, the professional sports headphone brand, hosted a product launch event in Beijing themed “Listen Up, The Time is Now,” where they introduced two new sports headphones — the next-generation swimming headphones, OpenSwim Pro, and the all-scenario sports headphones, OpenFit Air. Yang Yun, CEO of Shokz China, and Zhang Haofeng, Product Director of Shokz Technology, were present at the event and shared with guests and media Shokz’s comprehensive upgrade from brand strategy to product planning.
At the launch event, Shokz also teamed up with the China National Institute of Standardization to release China’s first “Technical Requirements and Test Methods for Bone Conduction Headphones” group standard, and officially announced their partnership with the world-class trail running event UTMB. Additionally, Shokz’s first global brand ambassador, Li Xian, made an appearance, generating an enthusiastic response from the audience.
OpenSwim Pro Advances the Limits of Swimming Headphone Applications
The OpenSwim Pro is a next-generation swimming headphone that combines MP3 and Bluetooth modes. It not only upgrades the Bluetooth standard to the latest 5.4 version but also increases the built-in memory capacity to 32GB, which can store over 8000 songs. Through the Shokz App, users can easily switch between MP3 and Bluetooth modes, as well as perform blind operations using physical buttons on the device, allowing for easy switching even underwater. The OpenSwim Pro uses a lightweight and durable titanium wire frame along with high-comfort silicone ear hooks and a balanced hanger structure. Weighing just 27.3g with moderate clamping force, it ensures stable wear both in water and on land, while also providing exceptional comfort, helping users to say goodbye to “swimmer’s ear.”
The OpenSwim Pro features the highest protection level of IP68, which allows for washing and soaking and supports swimming at 2 meters depth, fully meeting the needs of swimming, surfing, and other water sports. Its immersive surround sound experience underwater is enhanced by three sound effect modes (standard/vocal, swimming) that can be switched based on the scenario. Double microphones, DNS call noise reduction, and voice enhancement technology make calls clearer than before.
In MP3 mode, the OpenSwim Pro has a 6-hour battery life, while the Bluetooth mode extends it to 9 hours. A quick 10-minute charge offers 3 hours of use in Bluetooth mode. The new magnetic charging design makes charging and data transfer easier and more convenient. The OpenSwim Pro is not only perfect for swimming enthusiasts but also ideal for cross-country, triathlon, and other professional sports, offering marathon runners the freedom of being without a phone while striving for excellent performance.
OpenFit Air Continues the “Comfort Technology” Legacy with Open-Ear All-Scenario Headphones
Last year, after deep insights and communication with numerous users, Shokz introduced the first comfortable circle series OpenFit in-ear Bluetooth headphones, which quickly won praise from the market and consumers. This year, the research and development team has further refined the product regarding wearability, acoustics, and materials to launch the brand-new OpenFit Air, offering users an excellent value-for-money experience across multiple scenarios.
The OpenFit Air continues the non-intrusive ear design, ensuring long-lasting comfort and breathability for the ear canal. Built on the flexible titanium wire ear hooks, the ergonomic design has been optimized. The product introduces innovative “air-style” ear hooks that adapt to different ear shapes, offering a more comfortable and secure fit. Each OpenFit Air earbud weighs only 8.7g, with anti-slip soft silicone for a snug and refined touch, ensuring comfort and stability.
OpenFit Air features flagship acoustic technology with Shokz’s proprietary DirectPitch™ directional sound field technology, which reduces sound leakage and maintains user privacy through multiple tuning holes that leverage the principle of sound wave phase cancellation. The technology enables precise, efficient sound transmission and private listening without entering the ear while allowing users to be aware of the outdoor environment for safety.
In terms of sound quality, Shokz has tailored a high-amplitude, high-sensitivity driver unit for the OpenFit Air. The large 18mm x 11mm unit delivers powerful bass and rich musical details for a more lifelike audio experience. It also includes Shokz’s in-house developed dynamic bass enhancement technology, inherited from the OpenFit’s Shokz OpenBass™, for an immersive bass experience.
For voice communications, the OpenFit Air utilizes a new cVc8.0 algorithm on top of the dual-microphone precision voicing, effectively eliminating background noise and echo during calls, ensuring clear and stable voice quality. The OpenFit Air can also customize sound effects and touch controls through Shokz’s proprietary app, further enhancing the user experience.
OpenFit Air retains the sports DNA of the Shokz brand, with an IP54 rating for water and sweat resistance, allowing users to focus on their workout without distractions. It also features quick charging capabilities, with a 10-minute charge providing 2 hours of playback. Accompanied by the charging case, it can achieve up to 28 hours of music playback and up to 30 days of standby time, fully meeting the needs of daily life in all scenarios.
It is reported that OpenSwim Pro will be available in two contrast color options, Coral Sea (red and blue) and Shale Peak (black and grey), priced at 1298 yuan; OpenFit Air boasts a fashionable look, including colors such as Cherry Blossom Pink, Glacier White, and Xuanwu Black, priced at 798 yuan. Both products will start pre-sales at 16:00 on April 12th, and consumers can purchase them through all official Shokz channels. With the new additions of OpenSwim Pro and OpenFit Air, Shokz’s product line is now more distinct and accessible to the users. The four series — swimming, triathlon, endurance sports, fitness and travel, and communications and meetings — are designed to meet a broader range of user needs. Shokz is building an unprecedented strong product lineup for 2024, aiming to deliver an exceptional experience to a wide range of customers.
In-Depth Insights and Continuous Innovation Drive Shokz to Lead the Open-Ear Headphone Industry Forward
According to IDC’s “China Wireless Headphone Market Monthly Tracker Report” for 2023, the open-ear headphone market saw sales of 6.52 million units, a year-on-year increase of 130.2%, with bone conduction, ear-hook, and clip-on headphones growing rapidly, becoming the biggest growth point in the headphone market. As a pioneer in open-ear headphones, Shokz’s GMV in the Greater China region crossed the 1 billion yuan mark for the first time in 2023.
The global market also reports continued success, with a GMV exceeding 1 billion yuan in China in 2023. Recently, the authoritative consulting firm Frost & Sullivan released independent market research reports on the global open-ear, non-intrusive headphones and sports headphones industries, indicating that in 2023 Shokz led in sales volume in both categories. Currently, Shokz has successfully expanded into dozens of countries and regions, with over 28,000 experience outlets worldwide, receiving accolades from more than 15 million users.
Yang Yun, CEO of Shokz China, said: The exhilarating results are backdropped by Shokz’s long-standing commitment to its brand mission. By offering professional sports headphones suitable for various sporting scenarios, the company is dedicated to ensuring users focus on sports safety, enjoy their sports, and enhance their performance. In 2023, Shokz also accelerated the rollout of consumer-centered omni-channel brand experiences, establishing over 30 brand stores in high-end shopping districts of first- and second-tier cities such as Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Nanjing. This makes it easier for more users who want to understand open-ear headphones to find Shokz.
Listen up, starting from “now”! With the appearance of Shokz’s global ambassador, Li Xian, and the launch of the new series of sports headphones for 2024, an ever-increasing number of users will experience and enjoy the pleasure of open listening.