Headphone habits are changing: Why open-ear is making a move

Ever since cutting the cord, headphones have become one of the most versatile gadgets anyone can own. Traditionally dominated by over-ear and in-ear designs, recent years have seen open-ear headphones grow increasingly popular.

Naturally it’s a trend that’s of great interest to Shokz, one of the bigger brands playing in the open-ear headphone space. At IFA 2026, the Chinese headphones brand released a report from market research firm NielsenIQ, measuring just how much the form factor has taken off in recent years.

Only a few years ago, open-ear headphones were a relative footnote compared to other form factors. In 2022, the open-ear format accounted for less than five per cent of global headphone sales. Now, according to NielsenIQ, wireless open-ear headphones currently make up 17 per cent of the global market.

However, this data doesn’t include North America or Russia, so it may not be fully representative of the entire world’s headphone habits, but it still paints a picture of changing preferences.

Why the shift towards open-ear headphones?

For many, comfort is a driving factor behind the recent trend. Open-ear headphones sit on top of or just outside the wearer’s ears. The exact type of fit depends on the specific design; some open-ear headphones clip on like earrings (like the OpenDots 2), while others hook around the top of ears (like the OpenFit Pro). It’s a fundamental difference compared to in-ear headphones, which penetrate the wearer’s ear canals, a design more reliant on a secure fit.

Interestingly, NielsenIQ’s research found that sound quality is a lower priority among open-ear headphone buyers. For those shopping over-ear and in-ear headphones, sound quality is the most important factor. Conversely, design, fit, and comfort are king when choosing open-ear headphones. Sound quality is still considered important, albeit a lower priority than whether or not the headphones are comfortable to wear all day.

Some headphones, like the OpenDots range, are like wearing earrings. Image: Shokz.

The research claims that these less intrusive headphones are becoming increasingly popular among people who wear headphones for long periods, whether for work or exercise. 64 per cent of open-ear headphone users wear them for more than two hours a day, according to NieslenIQ, compared to 57 per cent for over-ear, and 54 per cent for in-ear.

It’s a data point that makes logical sense: if the headphones are comfier, people will likely wear them for longer. On the surface, it might seem like a simple observation. But when one or two form factors dominate the market for so long, it takes a while for newcomers to gain ground.

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