Shokz Launches First AI Earbuds as Open-Ear Competition Intensifies

Shokz has launched its first AI earbuds, the OpenFit 2 AI, priced at 1,698 yuan, according to Jiemian News. The product uses the Qwen large language model and supports recording, AI summaries, transcription in 49 languages, and voice translation across 11 language categories, targeting office scenarios and users such as lawyers, finance professionals and consultants. The move marks a shift for Shokz, which built its brand on bone-conduction sports headphones. The company began broadening beyond sports in 2023 with the OpenFit open-ear model, then upgraded its strategy in the second quarter of 2025 to cover the full open-ear category. It later launched its first ear-clip model, OpenDots ONE, and in May released OpenDots 2, OpenSwim Pro 2 and OpenDots Air. Jiemian News said the broader open-ear market is becoming more crowded. IDC reported that global open-ear shipments rose 39.9% year on year in the first quarter, with ear-clip models accounting for more than half of the market for the first time. Shokz faces growing competition from Huawei and Xiaomi, while Research and Markets estimated the global AI earbud market at $5.99 billion in 2025, rising to $7.42 billion in 2026 and $17.34 billion in 2030.