End of an era: Jabra will discontinue its Elite line of headphones

In a surprising move, jabraa well-known name in the wireless headphones market, has announced the discontinuation of its popular line of Elite headphones. The decision, announced by Jabra’s parent company GN, is part of a strategic shift to focus on more profitable areas of the business.

in a Press releaseGN CEO Peter Karlstromer recognized Jabra’s success in competing with top brands and introducing groundbreaking innovations to the truly wireless earbuds category. However, he cited changing market dynamics and the difficulty of achieving a satisfactory return on investment as reasons for the decision to close the Elite and Talk lines.

The company sees greater potential for return on investment in other sectors of its business. “Today we believe we cannot generate a fair return on investment compared to the many other opportunities we have within our hearing, corporate and gaming businesses,” Karlstromer said.

GN plans to reduce inventory of affected products by the end of 2024, but promises to continue providing customer service and support for “several years.” While the Elite line will be missed, the company will continue to make audio products under its business-focused Evolve line.

Instead of quietly disappearing, Jabra is making a bold exit. The company also launched the second generation of its prestigious Elite 8 Active ($199 on Amazon) and Elite 10 premium headphones, the Elite 8 Active Generation 2 and Elite 10 Generation 2. The company claims these are its “best headphones ever,” with expected improvements in sound quality and noise cancellation.

However, the standout feature of these earbuds is the innovative charging case. This case allows users to connect to external devices via an auxiliary port or USB port, streaming audio directly to the headphones. This eliminates the need for Bluetooth pairing, making it easier to connect to devices such as in-flight entertainment systems that lack wireless connectivity.

Jabra’s Elite earbuds were consistently praised for their impressive sound quality and features like ANC and long battery life. However, the wireless earbuds market has become highly competitive lately, with a surge of affordable brands offering commendable quality at affordable prices.

At the same time, industry giants like Apple and Sony have cultivated devoted customer bases and solidified their positions as top premium options, making it difficult for brands like Jabra to carve out a profitable niche.