HTC appears to be close to releasing new wireless earbuds called the U Ear, and they look very similar to Apple’s AirPods.
Photos of the earbuds leaked through regulatory agency filings in the US and Taiwan, which were spotted by Android Police.
The U Ear have a very similar design to Apple’s AirPods, with glossy plastic, a rounded earbud tip, and a stem that extends down your ear. There seems to be two big differences: the charging pins are located on the front of the earbuds, instead of the end tips, and the earbuds are all black, unlike the AirPods, which only come in white. Though it’s always possible HTC could release other color options.
HTC’s charging case takes inspiration from Apple’s earbuds, too. Both look like a compact and polished cube-shaped box. However, there’s a big difference, HTC’s case opens up like a ring box, rather than having a hatch on the top of the case. The case also features a USB-C port to charge the earbuds, and it appears packaging will include a USB-A to USB-C cable.
Apple’s AirPods initially launched back in 2016 and has been followed up with a second generation as well as a Pro model. Other companies, such as Amazon, Jabra, and Microsoft, have since tried to capture some of the wireless earbud market, to mixed success. Some companies, like Huwaei, have even entered the market with designs that take clear inspiration from Apple’s product.
