The year 2024 has been another very good one for wireless earbuds. Weve reached a point where every tech giant is firing on all cylinders. Apples AirPods Pro, Samsungs Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and Googles Pixel Buds Pro 2 are each fantastic in their own right and fairly comparable in the features they offer. Are there advantages depending on which you pick? Sure. Samsungs new voice controls are super convenient. Google wins out on comfort. And Apples new hearing health features really level up what we expect from consumer earbuds. But in terms of everyday performance, theyre all within spitting distance of each other.As for over-ear headphones, Sonos introduced its long-rumored Ace headphones this year. Their marquee trick, TV Audio Swap, is the ability to receive audio from a Sonos soundbar for private listening a good example of a brand trying to muster a unique selling point in a competitive market, while Apple, Samsung, and Google are laser-focused on interplay within their own respective ecosystems. (Of course, Sonos headphones were all but forgotten in the avalanche of controversy brought on by the companys overhauled mobile app.)The splash of yellow from Nothings Ear (a) earbuds is a fun departure from the norm.But this year has reinforced that you dont need to spend big to find great value. Apple brought active noise cancellation to its less expensive AirPods 4. With the Nothing Ear and budget-priced Ear (a), Nothing proved yet again that it can compete with long-established earbud makers and outdesign many of them. Style-wise, its hard to choose between the flashy yellow of the Ear (a) or Beats candy red Solo Buds, but Nothing gives you more for your money than Apples brand.2024 also saw Jabra make an exit from the consumer earbuds market. The company spent years producing worthy alternatives to the AirPods and other products back during the early waves of true wireless earbuds, but Jabra lost its momentum and failed to meaningfully stand out with its more recent Elite earbuds. The Elite 10 Gen 2 are excellent by all accounts but hard to recommend when they represent the end of the line.As for where the category is headed, earbuds are quickly evolving into devices with a purpose that extends well beyond audio consumption. Apples AirPods Pro 2 now offer a powerful trifecta of hearing health features: you can wear them as hearing protection, take a test to gauge your own hearing loss, or use the earbuds as clinical-grade over-the-counter hearing aids. Id expect well see other industry heavyweights like Sony, Samsung, and Google bring similar capabilities to their own future buds perhaps as soon as next year.Apples AirPods Pro 2 can now function as clinical-grade hearing aids for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.Fitness tracking is another area where well continue to see earbuds offer new advantages. Heart rate tracking is becoming relatively common, and the next-generation Powerbeats Pro, due early in 2025, are rumored to include the useful feature.As for the new year, Sonys long-popular 1000X series is due for a refresh. The 1000XM6 earbuds (and headphones) seem like a lock for 2025. I think the same is true of the next AirPods Pro; Apple will reportedly release a redesigned third-gen pair sometime next year. On the other hand, with Samsung and Google having both released new models in the last six months, I wouldnt expect much from them in the near future.Sonys 1000X series is due for an update in 2025.For you audiophiles out there, 2025 is likely to see the introduction of more earbuds that can wirelessly stream lossless audio as Qualcomms most advanced chips start to proliferate across new products from various brands potentially including Sennheiser, Bose, and others. As for other features, Im curious to what extent earbud makers will tap into AI chatbots. Googles Pixel Buds Pro make it possible to carry on entire conversations with Gemini Live. Will other brands look to provide a similar experience with different AI platforms?The new year is certain to get off to a busy start right out of the gate, with headphones and earbuds from dozens of brands expected at CES 2025. Hopefully therell be some genuine surprises among the bunch.Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge