What you need to know
- Both the Elite 10 and Elite 8 Active will receive firmware updates at the same time, though they will come in two waves.
- The first wave will be in January 2024, while the second for the Elite 10 will come in March 2024.
- They are free updates that can be installed on the earbuds via Jabra's Sound+ app.
In the midst of CES 2024 in Las Vegas, Jabra hasn't announced any new products, but did confirm that it has planned to release firmware updates for its existing flagship wireless earbuds, the Elite 10 and Elite 8 Active. The updates won't affect audio playback, focusing instead on supporting features, like active noise cancelation (ANC) and phone call quality.
The first update in January will add an on/off toggle for the Adaptive ANC, HearThrough, and Sidetone features, including new voice tone prompts to better interpret the switch between these three modes. Jabra says it wants to add more customization and address personal preferences, which is why it's also allowing users to name the earbuds themselves on the Sound+ app.
It's not entirely clear how much noise cancelation will improve after the updates, but the company noted that the Elite 8 Active will see noticeable improvement in windy conditions because of "upgraded wind detection technology."
The second update will focus on the Elite 10 and its call clarity in busier settings like offices, restaurants and street noise. Newer noise suppression algorithms promise to muffle these types of sounds more acutely by particularly identifying and nullifying voices behind the scenes. Given the excellent call quality in the previous Elite 7 Pro that wasn't quite matched out of the gate with the Elite 10, this move isn't especially surprising.
Despite not changing anything about the audio fidelity for either pair, Jabra insists these updates will positively affect listening to audio content. Better ANC would ostensibly leave less of the ambient sounds from leaking in. Jabra is mum on whether further updates are coming for the Elite 10 or Elite 8 Active, but it is always a possibility given the company's track record.
