TWS or True Wireless Stereo earbuds have become such a common sight that their no longer weird to see something sticking out from people’s ears these days. It’s not a pretty sight, no matter how minimalist or sleek they are. Unfortunately, limitations of acoustics and technology also limit the possible designs for these tiny accessories, but what if such restrictions were loosened up a bit?

This concept design for open-ear earbuds try to explore that possibility, offering a product that isn’t just functional but also aesthetic. With just a few changes to the basic formula, earbuds become chic fashion accessories you won’t feel ashamed to wear, almost like wearing large but stylish earrings, without the piercings, of course.

Designer: Zhang Yunxib

The basic earbuds design evolved from humble earphones to the point that the Apple AirPods were even ridiculed for looking like EarPods with their wires cut off. Other wireless earbud today don’t sport such dangling stems, but the basic mechanism remains the same. You stick part of the buds inside your ear canal and hope they won’t fall off thanks to the fit of the buds or their shape.

The are, however, other ways to bring sound waves to your ear without blasting them directly into your ear canal. Some “open ear” headphones, for example, use bone conduction to deliver vibrations directly to the bones in your head that you “hear” as sound, while other use simpler but more refined air conduction that won’t tickle your temples.

This earbuds design concept uses the latter to fashion earbuds that wrap around your ear to secure its position, leaving the actual speaker just a few millimeters away from the ear canal opening. This is a similar design to the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds launched early this year with one important difference: it’s made to look really good.

With an elegant matte texture and a mirror-like finish on the ball-shaped tips, these earbuds look more stylish than the typical rugged or sporty earbuds in the market. The way they hang on the sides of the ears rather than sticking down with a stem makes them look more like ear clips or earrings, giving them the appearance of fashion accessories or even jewelry.

The sleek and thin body doesn’t take up too much space or shove distracting forms, so you can still wear your favorite earrings that complement the earbuds. It’s a simple change to a tested formula, but one that completely changes the appeal and purpose of the product, from simple tech accessories to an expression of your taste and personality.

The post Open-ear earbuds concept transforms a common gadget into a fashion statement first appeared on Yanko Design.