If you feel like you have too many screens in your life already, these latest AirPods-rivalling earbuds may not be for you, though they will certainly stand out against umpteen other headphone options on store shelves. Three new models of audio brand JBL’s wireless earbuds have a tiny LED touchscreen on the case that lets you do simple things such as skip track or adjust volume.
The JBL LIve TWS 3 series has three models that all use the same Smart Charging Case but have different earbud shapes to differentiate them called Beam, Buds, and Flex. The Beam and Buds have in-ear designs, while the Flex has a regular earphone shape to sit just inside the ear, much like Apple’s latest third-gen AirPods.
JBL says putting a screen on your earbuds’ case “takes the true wireless experience beyond audio, making it more accessible than ever before with just a tap”. And tap you can on the 1.45-inch screen on the case while wearing the earphones to skip track, change volume, adjust noise cancellation levels, or even answer calls coming to your phone, or display app notifications.
It’s a little like having a small remote control for your phone instead of pulling your actual phone out – a bit like the functionality of a smartwatch. To our eyes it looks like carrying around a pager from the 1990s.
Last year, JBL released its first ever earbuds with a screen on the case that was widely praised by tech reviewers. On the new versions, it looks as though the screen is on the top of a case that flips up, instead of on the front with a separate lid.
Modern wireless earbuds require a small case to both store the buds and charge up their small batteries, a design choice that was popularised by Apple’s first AirPods in 2016.
The tech trend has helped many to banish wired headphones to the history books, but with JBL’s addition of a screen to the outside of the charging case, it shows companies are trying to find ways to stand out in what is a very crowded market.
The three models of the JBL Live TWS 3 won’t go on sale until June 2024, priced at £179.99. They’re waterproof, but the flashy case isn’t, and they come with premium features such as multipoint to connect to more than one device at a time, and compatibility with wireless Hi-Res audio streaming.
