OtterBox Bluetooth Earphones Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

OtterBox’s new wireless earphones go on sale December 13.

OtterBox

A little while back I wrote about how OtterBox was branching out from protective cases into charging accessories. Well, now it’s getting into the headphone arena with a little help from Decibullz, which makes DIY custom moldable earphones.

The new OtterBox headphones go on sale December 13; both are in-ear models: The OtterBox Bluetooth Earphones ($100) and OtterBox Wired Earphones ($50). No word yet on international pricing but I’ll add it as soon as I get it.

We have a pair of Decibullz headphones in the office now and I can say these OtterBox models aren’t simply rebranded versions. While the moldable eartips are the same (you heat them up in boiling water and then fit them to your ears) the OtterBox headphones seemingly have a more rugged design, with metal housings and connectors, as well tangle-resistant braided nylon cords. It’s unclear if they’re sweat-resistant but you’d hope they are.

The wired version costs $50.

OtterBox

According to OtterBox, the sound is the company’s own and the eartips adhere magnetically, allowing you to wear them more securely around your neck when not in use.

We’re getting samples shortly and I’ll update this preview with more hands-on impressions later this week. We’ll also confirm battery life numbers. The specs say the headphones are rated for 3.5 hours of “play time,” which is pretty short. Decibullz headphones also have short battery life, so the two headphones may share similar guts.

Here are the OtterBox Bluetooth Earphones’ key features.

Custom Decibullz molds fit your ears for ultimate comfort and superior noise isolation (eartips are remoldable)
Sound powered by OtterBox
Metal housing and connectors for lasting durability
Extended strain relief to prevent breakage
Tangle-resistant braided nylon cords
Power on, power off, pairing and low-battery voice prompts
Magnetic controls for power/play/pause/answer call/end call
Button control for play/pause/mute/answer call/end call/reject call/redial
+ button: volume up/forward/Siri
– button: volume down/backward/Siri
Magnetic connect and control: Separate the earphones to answer calls, connect earphones to pause music
Battery life: Up to 4 hours talking, 3.5 hours playing and 150 hours standby
Includes three ear inserts (S/M/L), carrying case and charge cable
Price: $100