Sony bets on color customization for Linkbuds Clip to beat Apple’s white AirPods

Sony Group Corp. put out new clip-on earbuds on Wednesday, joining a market where Bose Corp., Motorola under Lenovo Group Ltd., and Huawei Technologies Co. already sell similar products.

The LinkBuds Clip cost $230 and went on sale right after being announced. These earbuds are part of a newer category of open-style devices that sit outside the ear canal instead of going inside it. Companies selling these say the setup lets people stay aware of what’s happening around them better than regular earbuds. The design means you can have conversations with people near you or hear your surroundings even when music is playing at a normal volume. A lot of people also say they’re easier to wear all day.

Sony has made open-ear headphones before, but this is the first time the company has tried a clip-on style.

Design comes with tradeoffs

There are some downsides to this design. Bass sounds aren’t usually as strong, and most clip-on models don’t have active noise cancellation for times when you’d want to block out sudden loud sounds. People standing nearby can sometimes hear what you’re listening to as well.

Sony tried to fix the sound leakage issue by adding a “sound leakage reduction” mode that’s supposed to make the earbuds quieter to people around you. There’s also a “voice boost” mode made for clearer podcast and audiobook listening.

A silicone “cushion” piece comes with the LinkBuds Clip. Sony says this helps people with smaller ears or anyone who wants a tighter fit. The earbuds have an IPX4 water resistance rating, so they can handle sweat and light rain.

The battery lasts up to nine hours on one charge. With the charging case, you get 37 hours total. Three minutes of charging gives you an hour of playback time, the company said.

Sony says it improved call quality compared to older LinkBuds models. The Clip version uses artificial intelligence for reducing noise and has bone conduction technology to tell when you’re speaking, which helps cut out background noise.

Color options set Sony apart

The Japanese company is using colors and style to stand out from Apple Inc.’s white AirPods. Sony will sell different $25 case covers on its website so people can pick colors they like.

Other companies are doing something similar. Bose put out lots of color options for its $299 Ultra Open earbuds. Motorola even decorated its Moto Buds Loop with Swarovski crystals to catch people’s attention.

Sony announced these earbuds a day after saying it would hand over its Bravia TV business and other home theater products to Chinese rival TCL Electronics Holdings Ltd. Personal audio products like Sony headphones aren’t part of that deal.

The launch comes as consumer electronics manufacturers face growing pressure from chip shortages and rising component costs in 2026, with analysts warning of price increases between 5% and 20% across the industry. The audio market has seen increased competition recently, as companies displayed new consumer technology innovations at CES 2026 earlier this month in Las Vegas.