The Apple AirPods are still coming this year, claim sources

The new AirPods that will ship next month are cheaper and offer longer battery life than most truly wireless earbud solutions out there with up to 5 listening hours, not to mention that you can charge them five times over from the carrying case alone. We like it when Apple feels queasy for ditching the audio jack.

In what will perhaps be the best deal on truly wireless earphones, the Bragi Headphone buds are $119 on preorder, and they offer a stripped-down version of the $299 Bragi Dash, without all the fitness tracking sensors and the internal storage, but with the same Knowles balanced armature speakers, passthrough audio, digital mics with custom mechanical tuning, as well as an EarBone microphone. Just pure listening fun for up to 6 hours on a charge, which a record for the category.

Samsung leaped ahead of the wireless earbud race in one fell swoop with the announcement of the Gear IconX. Not only is the set with an innovative fit for securing the buds firmly in your auricle while jogging or bouncing around, but it can also act as a standalone music player with 4 GB of memory, so you don’t even need your phone on you. 

Samsung didn’t stop here, as the wireless earbuds can also track fitness data – including distance, speed, heart rate, and calories burned – and sync with Samsung’s S Health app via Bluetooth. The Gear IconX earbuds are activated by simply placing them in your ears, and include a Voice Guide feature for feedback on your workout progress. Plus, the carrying case doubles as a charger, so you can top them off while you aren’t using them on the road.

Kanoa managed to build somewhat of a cult following while it was crowdsourcing, and a lot of folks are eagerly anticipating the delivery of their hexagonal contraptions. Just like the IconX, they come with a carrying case that also holds five extra 4-hour charges for the buds. 

Kanoa also offers a waterproof design, S-L tip sizes, and a special emphasis on audio quality in partnership with CSR to deliver the AptX Audio Codec, “balanced armature drivers,” and an acoustic design that is supposed to take the utmost advantage of the smallish chambers.

The Bragi Dash set may be expensive, but it delivers for the price, and has one huge advantage – the buds are shipping now. They combine the best of IconX, like the fitness tracking (distance, speed, and heart rate) and the standalone 4 GB music playback memory, and of the Kanoas, like the waterproof design and the balanced armature speakers. Bragi also offers built-in call handling as well as a few levels of audio transparency to decide on how much noise around you should be isolated.

Arguably the best looking from the wireless earbud bunch, Erato’s Apollo 7 set is shipping, and offers waterproof audio enjoyment for the active types sans any cable hassles. The compact charging case offers two extra 4-hour jam sessions, and the Apollo offers standalone touch controls for switching tracks or answering phone calls with the built-in omnidirectional microphone. 

Wearing just 4 grams, these buds support the advanced AAC, SBC, and aptX audio standards, and lock into your auricle securely with an inventive horn system, while looking good on the outside. Sorry, no fitness tracking shenanigans here.

Moto’s take on the wireless earbud trend comes with the VerveOnes set, which offers two mics for fending calls and activate Siri or Google Now. Built tough and waterproof, albeit a tad too rugged-looking, these buds come with their own charging case that extends their listening range on the go. Motorola touts a “deep, rich HD sound,” and offers pass-through audio for those moments you are shuttling with your bike and need to hear some of the surrounding car noises.

Jabra’s Elite Sport edition offers everything that a self-respecting truly wireless earbuds set should, like a decent 3-hour battery life, and a case that tops the buds up twice. The earphones are IP67-certified for water resistance, hence can be submerged in up to 3 feet of water for 30 minutes. The Jabre Elite Sport also has an audio passthrough feature, if you are cycling and still want to hear the surrounding car noise.

Doppler Labs started small, with a set of hearables that are meant to even out all the world’s noises around you. We kid, but the project has now evolved to the next product – the Doppler Here One set of wireless earbuds that will be coming this fall. We know it’s a fair amount of time to wait, that’s why we are listing them as a bonus item, but what the Here One promises is nothing short of amazing. Besides all the goodies that the other hearables offer – listening to music, answering calls and activating voice assistants – the Doppler Labs set is topped off with the world-tuning tech of their predecessors. 

Yep, no more startling noises from screeching metro cars, shrieking babies, or, if you are in Chicago or Syria – gun battles. It will all get evened out to the volume you desire, and tuned to the person you want to hear or not. Sounds perfect, especially if you have kids in the house, or are standing at the last rows of a rock festival.