Sennheiser's Accentum Open earbuds resemble AirPods quite closely.

      Sennheiser has introduced a new pair of wireless earbuds under its entry-level Accentum sub-brand: the $130 Accentum Open, which is set to begin shipping in June in black and cream color choices. Sennheiser emphasizes the concept of "open," highlighting the earbuds’ potential to alleviate ear fatigue while keeping you aware of your environment. However, the Accentum Open closely resembles the design of Apple’s popular AirPods.

      While this design similarity is acceptable—considering the AirPods' popularity for that very reason—the term “open” could lead to misunderstandings among consumers. These are not truly open-ear earbuds, which we define as those that have speakers positioned outside the ear (like the Shokz OpenFit 2) or just within the concha (like Bose Ultra Open Earbuds), where they sit slightly closer to the ear canal, but not directly at its entrance. It’s more accurate to categorize the Accentum Open (and the AirPods 4) as semi-open: they rest directly in front of the ear canal and do not create a seal with silicone as a fully closed design would (like the AirPods Pro or Sony WF-1000XM5). The Accentum Open marks Sennheiser’s first venture into semi-open wireless earbuds; until now, the brand has employed a closed design in its Momentum True Wireless series (e.g., Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4).

      Sennheiser assures that the Accentum Open will deliver the brand’s renowned sound tuning through an 11mm driver. These earbuds support Bluetooth 5.3 and allow for dual-device connectivity through Multipoint compatibility. Sennheiser has opted for touch controls instead of the AirPods’ squeeze-to-click force-sensing controls, and claims a battery life of approximately 6.5 hours per charge, with a total of 28 hours including the charging case. They also offer decent water and sweat resistance with an IPX4 rating.

      Potential buyers should be aware that, despite some similarities with the $129 AirPods 4, the Accentum Open lacks features like wireless charging and active noise cancellation (ANC). Furthermore, they do not come with AirPods 4's spatial audio with head tracking or wear sensors that pause playback automatically.

      In contrast to Sennheiser’s other wireless earbuds, the Accentum Open does not include a companion app, meaning users cannot customize controls, adjust the equalizer, or update firmware.

      It appears that Sennheiser has priced the Accentum Open based on the American market in light of recent U.S. tariffs. In Canada, these earbuds will retail for $150 Canadian (approximately $109 USD).

      Simon Cohen contributes as an editor to the Audio/Video section of Digital Trends, focusing on the latest in wireless audio technology.

      In other news, Shokz has unveiled the OpenFit 2 during CES 2025, featuring several upgrades for $180, maintaining its original concept while incorporating a tighter earhook curve and a new flexible nickel-titanium alloy for enhanced comfort and security.

      Earfun has also made headlines at CES 2025 with the introduction of six products, including new clip and open-ear style earbuds and upgraded flagship wireless earbuds featuring multi-language real-time AI translation, set to launch in the first half of 2025.

      Lastly, Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 have gained attention for their potential to serve as over-the-counter hearing aids when paired with iOS 18.1, offering similar benefits to traditional hearing aids, which can be significantly more expensive. This could be especially valuable for individuals who already own these popular earbuds, provided they reside in regions where the hearing aid feature is approved.