After years of maintaining a quiet but constant presence in the wireless earbuds market, Jabra Elite has been discontinued as the company announces its exit from the market. GN Audio, the company that owns and runs Jabra, announced two new products in the discrete way it tends to do, and just as everyone began gearing up with their reviews of the devices, the company announced its intention to gradually wind down its Elite and Talk product lines. Jabra’s new earbuds were released on June 11, 2024, and we were happy to be greeted by the second-generation editions of the Elite 8 and Elite 10. And yet, despite adding these upgraded devices to their product line, on the very same day, GN announced Jabra earbuds’ market exit.
Image: The Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 in the Denim shade
Jabra Elite and Talk Discontinued—Marking the End of the Era
Jabra earbuds’ market exit with its Elite line feels abrupt when you consider how they launched one of their most noteworthy upgrades to their products and dipped immediately. The Verge also reported that the company recently held a media event at its Copenhagen headquarters to promote the impressive work that they were doing together. If the news of Jabra Elite being discontinued hadn’t arrived on the scene so immediately, we would have been certain the company was set on evaluating its cards to see how best it could play its hand and boost its spot in the market.
“The decision to gradually wind down the Elite and Talk product lines is part of our commitment to focus on attractive markets where we can deliver profitable growth and strong returns,” said Peter Karlstromer, CEO of GN Store Nord. “The markets, though, have changed over time, and it is today our assessment that we cannot generate a fair return on investment compared to the many other opportunities we have within our Hearing, Enterprise, and Gaming businesses,” he continued in his statement. All things considered, we can’t fault Jabra’s end to the Elite line after the earbud has ceased to be a household name over the last few years.
A company that was once considered one of the best Airpod alternatives has slowly fallen behind more competitive brands on the market over the years. Most “best wireless earbuds” lists feature the newer, more trendy brands, and Jabra has not necessarily maintained its relevance even if its earbuds were high-quality alternatives to the more expensive brands.
A spokesperson told Engadget, “This announcement by GN is in an effort to concentrate resources and efforts on Jabra’s enterprise products within audio, including enterprise-grade true wireless earbuds, as well as video and OTC hearing devices,” so we will still the Jabra name on the market but regardless of how well Jabra’s new earbud release goes, we won’t see the Elite line continue.
Jabra’s Flagship Earbuds Will Continue to Be Available on the Market
Despite Jabra’s Elite line being discontinued, their products will still be available on the market and continue to function as usual. GN will soon begin to clear out its inventory so we may witness a few more sales and affordable deals on the product for those who want to give the brand a go for nostalgia’s sake or want to try it out before they disappear from mainstream markets. As Jabra ends the Elite line, the company will continue to support and service the device for “several years,” so you don’t have to worry about buying it only to find it bricked and unserviceable.
Jabra’s planned market exit for its two product lines is expected to negatively impact the company’s revenue. According to their press note, the consumer business delivered a revenue of 1,253 million Danish Kroner in 2023. The Elite product line was 70 percent of its revenue while the Talk product line made up 10 percent. With the winding down of Jabra’s flagship earbuds and investing in promotional activities to reduce inventory, the revenue for their consumer business is expected to be down by around 450 million DKK compared to last year.
The decision to have Jabra Elite discontinued must have been a tough choice for the company. Now, its marketing and sales over the next few months will determine just how much the discontinuation affects its business.
Jabra’s New Earbuds Release to Great Reviews
Instead of slinking away quietly, GN decided to make a bold statement with the end of their Jabra flagship earbuds. The Elite 8 and Elite 10 earbuds were released to great reviews, and praise was almost instantly received for the sound quality and comfort. Premium features like its Dolby Atmos sound with head tracking and multipoint pairing were available with the Elite 10 and there was no denying its unique design. Now, the new updated release of the Jabra earbuds enjoys many of the standout features from their first-gen models, with a little something extra.
The most noteworthy detail of the second-gen earbuds is the charging case, which can be connected to any streaming device with a USB-C or 3.5mm port to turn it into a wireless connection for the earbuds. Connecting the case to an inflight entertainment system with a wire will let you use your wireless earbuds freely, a detail that increases the functionality of the device by leaps.
If GN finds its target audience more accurately over the next few months, Jabra’s flagship earbuds could do really well in their sales quite easily. The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is available for $229 USD and apart from the Navy and Black color options, you can also get them in Coral and Olive, both of which look great. The Elite 10 Gen 2, on the other hand, has been priced at $279 USD, and it’s available in Titanium Black, Gloss Black, Cocoa, and two new colors—Denim and Soft White.
The news of the Jabra Elite lineup being discontinued is unfortunate, but the earbuds still have a lot to offer to users who give it a chance before they lose the opportunity to experience the technology forever.