As audio technology continues to advance, open-ear OWS earbuds, an emerging category in the earbud market, are showing strong growth momentum.According to statistics, the sales volume of open-ear earbuds in China reached 6.52 million units in 2023, a sharp increase of 130.2% compared to2022. It is expected that open-ear earbuds market will experience a strong growth in 2024, potentially to become a new engine and opportunity sectors for Bluetooth earbuds.
Facing the continuously growing blue ocean market, WUQI launched forward-looking bottom-layer solutions for the OWS market as early as the end of 2022. In 2023, we officially released the highly integrated control chip platform WQ703X, completing the construction of software and hardware capabilities from single application to multi-scenario coverage. With mature audio algorithm solutions, high customizability, and scalability, WUQI’s WQ703X chip platform offers new technological improvements and optimization solutions for the existing pain points in OWS earbuds, such as poor sound quality, weak noise reduction capabilities, and short battery life.
Pain Point 1: Low-frequency leakage in OWS affects the hearing experience. Compared with traditional in-ear TWS earbuds, open-ear earbuds have significantly more low-frequency leakage; especially when the volume is reduced, the perceived gain of the low-frequency part drops significantly. However, the WUQI WQ703X platform provides a dynamic EQ algorithm that maintains constant output gain in the low-frequency range. It features DSP smoothing processing to eliminate pop sound when EQ is frequently switched.
Of course, due the design limitations, open-ear earbuds cannot fully match the sound quality of in-ear earbuds even when delivering maximum low-frequency output. A virtual bass algorithm developed by the WUQI WQ703X Platform for OWS earbuds can combine psychoacoustic theory with limited output to deliver a better low-frequency hearing experience for earbuds.
Pain Point 2: Weak echo and wind noise suppression during OWS calls. Open-ear earbuds use a large echo structure design for calls. Compared to in-ear earbuds, open-ear earbuds have a shorter MIC-SPK distance, weaker sound isolation, lower signal-to-noise ratio, and poor echo performance during calls. However, the WUQI WQ703X platform offers solutions based on advanced recurrent neural networks (RNN) and convolutional neural networks (CNN), trained on extensive data. These solutions are not limited by noise types and are suitable for various complex call scenarios. The innovative LMS+KLM dual filter structure enhances linear echo suppression by 30dB, and AI processing is applied to non-linear residual echo, making both single and dual-talk calls on OWS earbuds extremally clear.
Additionally, OWS earbuds face issues such as excessive wind noise, significant voice distortion, and low call intelligibility. To address these problems, the WUQI WQ703X platform utilizes a combination of multi-microphone technology and neural network algorithms. By training AI models on extensive wind noise data and based on the auditory mechanisms of the human ear to protect speech, this platform greatly reduces wind noise residue, ensures stable and clear voice transmission, minimizes distortion, and enhances call intelligibility.
Pain Point 3: High power consumption and short battery life in OWS earbuds. Open-back earbuds can only use smaller battery capacity because of their exquisite and compact appearance. Additionally, open-ear earbuds require higher audio output and more enhanced algorithms, which greatly impact battery life, often failing to meet user expectations. The WUQI WQ703X platform uses an industry-innovative low-power + RISC-V architecture + DSP design. Its algorithms require less computing power, and the overall power consumption for music playback is only 4mA, significantly enhancing the battery life of OWS earbuds.
Thanks to its excellent innovative architecture and highly integrated audio algorithm solutions, the WUQI WQ703X chip platform has enabled over ten types of open-ear OWS earbuds, successfully solving many issues in sound quality, noise cancellation, and battery life. Here, we highlight three OWS earbuds using the WUQI solution to explore the beauty of innovation.
Soundcore AeroFit Pro | Secure Open-ear Sports Earbuds, make earbuds have unique dual-form experience by soundcore’s exclusive Air Turbo air conduction technology and detachable neckband design. Users can enjoy a comfortable wearing in daily life and sports. 16.2mm oversized, titanium-coated diaphragm, enhanced by LDAC technology for high-resolution audio transmission. Enjoy the benefits of Open-Ear Earbuds as you indulge in superior sound quality.
GLIDiC is a renowned audio brand owned by Japan SoftBank group . GLIDiC Hear Free features an open-ear hook design that is compact and delicate. The soft ear hook naturally fits the curve of the ear. With the support of multiple audio algorithms and a large driver unit, it provides a comfortable fit and high-quality sound experience in various scenarios. The music is natural and rich, and the calls are clear and secure.
SoundPEATS GoFree2 breaking the upper limit of the OWS industry, owns high feature Hi-Res & LDAC audio technology , adopts 16.2mm dynamic drivers that deliver crisp, dynamic, detailed audio and rich bass. Enhanced by AI noise reduction and low-frequency algorithms, it balances the comfort of open-ear earbuds with the sound quality of in-ear ones, ensuring high-definition calls and music enjoyment without external interference.
In the rapidly evolving and innovating OWS earbuds market, driven by the deep development of TWS, the market is currently in a rapid growth phase. WUQI is one of the leading main control chip manufacturers in this market. Through continuous innovation and optimization, WUQI has gradually established a significant presence in the market. In the future, WUQI will actively develop more innovative technologies in Bluetooth audio and explore broader applications of main control chips.