2026 will see the start of a new trend in headphones that I have wanted for years: two opposites will be united

A new category of headphones could finally take off in 2026: open earbuds with active noise cancellation. (Image source: Duy Linh Dinh/GameStar Tech)

music on. world out.

This is not just a saying, but a daily need for me. When I’m working, running, writing, or just trying to clear my head, I’m almost always having something going on – often for hours.

I hear so much that comfort is more important to me than anything else. That’s why I ended up with open-ear headphones a few years ago: They fit loosely, leave your ears free and are still comfortable even after hours.

The catch? The world stays on – and sometimes it’s just too loud.

This year that is about to change. Finally, it looks like manufacturers are bringing together two things that are actually mutually exclusive: open and quiet at the same time.

0:42

Top sound and durable design? Fairphone introduces new ANC headphones

The advantages and disadvantages of open earbuds

Why open earbuds? There are two main arguments for open earbuds:

• They allow ambient noise to pass through, which is practical when walking or doing sports. This way you remain alert for bicycle bells or the like.
• They are often among the most comfortable earbuds because they are hardly noticeable when worn and do not seal the ear canal.

Open ear headphones keep the ear canal clear. They transmit the sound via drivers or bone sound directed at the ear. (Image source: Duy Linh Dinh/GameStar Tech)

What compromises need to be made? The open design also has two major disadvantages:

• Because the ear canals are not sealed and the distance between the audio drivers and your ears is greater, the bass reproduction is not as powerful as with classic in-ear headphones.
• The open design does not make sensible use of active noise cancellation possible – until now.

Will a new trend start in 2026?

Apple and Samsung have shown the way: The AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 3 are open headphones; They do not have silicone plugs that close the ear canal.

The AirPods 4 have no plugs and still have active noise cancellation. (Image source: Patrick Schneider/GameStar Tech)

Still, they have ANC. So they use microphones to detect ambient noise and neutralize it with counter-sound.

Because these headphones completely do without passive noise isolation through plugs, the ANC is never as effective as in classic in-ear headphones, but especially in the case of the AirPods 4, it works surprisingly well – and is better than no isolation at all (I haven’t tried the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 yet).

Now Soundcore and Shokz are joining the race: Shokz is no stranger to open-back headphones; they are even experts in the field. In their portfolio we find many models with bone conduction and open design.

Now the manufacturer has introduced its first open-ear headphones with active noise cancellation. The new Openfit Pro look like regular open-ear headphones with a headband, but they have an ANC function.

You can find out more about these new headphones from Patrick: These new open-ears could be the perfect headphones for me

The new headphones from Shokz are available in black and white – somehow fitting because they want to combine two opposites in one device. (Image source: Shokz)

Soundcore is the audio brand of the manufacturer Anker and they have found a slightly different solution. The new Aerofit 2 Pro are open headphones with an adjustable ear hook. You can wear the earbuds in such a way that the ear canals remain free or they can be sealed. If the earbuds are in your ear, the ANC is automatically switched on.

Open-ear headphones are finally coming of age: Even if the effectiveness of active noise cancellation in open earbuds will probably never reach that of sealed in-ear headphones, these innovations will finally make them even more suitable for everyday use and it is only a matter of time before more manufacturers jump on the bandwagon.

When the world gets too loud again, owners of open earbuds finally have an option to make them a little quieter. Even as a fan of these headphones, I am always confronted with situations in which I would rather only wish for one thing:

music on. world out.