Jabra kills off its consumer earbuds after launching new Elite models

Immediately after introducing upgraded versions of its Elite 10 and Elite 8 Active earbuds, Jabra says it’s departing the consumer earbuds market entirely. Jabra’s parent company GN announced that it’s winding down its Elite and Talk audio product ranges in order to “increase focus and resources on more attractive parts” of its business, citing the rising costs of competition.

“The markets 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,” said GN CEO Peter Karlstromer. “I am very grateful to our retail partners, who have supported us on the Elite and Talk product lines, as well as to the consumers who made us a part of their lives.”

The departure for Talk — a dated-looking lineup of over-the-ear mono Bluetooth headphones — isn’t surprising given the decline in that category, but Jabra’s Elite range of wireless earbuds have been generally well received since launching in 2016. The decision follows last year’s decision to redirect the Elite lineup towards the premium audio market, with Jabra’s parent now saying the level of investment required to remain competitive is “deemed unjustified in the long-term” despite having initially resulted in “stronger profitability.” 

Jabra isn’t exiting the audio category entirely, however, with Digital Trends noting that the company will continue developing its enterprise-focused Evolve lineup. The second-gen Elite 8 Active and Elite 10 earbuds will still be available to buy later this month as the final entries to the Elite lineup. Jabra will continue to provide support for the products for “several years,” and expects its remaining inventory to be depleted by the end of 2024.