In a surprising move, Jabra, a well-known name in the wireless earbuds market, has announced the discontinuation of its popular Elite earbuds line. The decision, announced by Jabra’s parent company GN, is part of a strategic shift to focus on more profitable areas of the business.

In a press release, GN CEO Peter Karlstromer acknowledged Jabra’s success in competing with top brands and introducing groundbreaking innovations in the true wireless earbuds category. However, he cited the changing market dynamics and the difficulty of achieving a satisfactory return on investment as reasons for the decision to wind down the Elite and Talk lines.

The company sees greater potential for returns on investment in other sectors of its business. “It is today our assessment that we cannot generate a fair return on investment compared to the many other opportunities we have within our Hearing, Enterprise, and Gaming businesses,” Karlstromer stated.

GN plans to reduce inventory of the affected products by the end of 2024 but promises to continue providing customer service and support for “several years.” While the Elite line will be missed, the company will continue making audio products under its enterprise-focused Evolve lineup.

Rather than fading quietly, Jabra is making a bold exit. The company also launched the second generation of its highly regarded Elite 8 Active ($199 at Amazon) and Elite 10 premium earbuds, the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 and Elite 10 Gen 2. The company claims these are its “best earbuds ever,” with expected enhancements in sound quality and noise cancellation.

However, the standout feature of these earbuds is the innovative charging case. This case allows users to connect to external devices via an aux port or USB port, transmitting audio directly to the earbuds. This eliminates the need for Bluetooth pairing, making it easy to connect to devices like in-flight entertainment systems that lack wireless connectivity.

Jabra’s Elite earbuds were consistently lauded for their impressive sound quality, and features like ANC and long battery life. However, the wireless earbuds market has become highly competitive off-late, with a surge of affordable brands delivering commendable quality at budget-friendly prices.

Simultaneously, industry giants like Apple and Sony have cultivated devoted customer bases and solidified their positions as the top premium choices, making it difficult for brands like Jabra to carve out a profitable niche.