For Xiaomi loyalists, good news is likely coming on the audio horizon. It seems the company is gearing up intensely for the launch of an upgraded version of its open-ear headphones, a category that gained significant traction last year, mainly thanks to the comfort offered by its design and satisfactory sound quality. A brand-new audio product from Xiaomi, bearing the not-so-poetic model number “M2503E1,” recently went through the necessary certification procedures with regulatory bodies. Among them is the ever-present U.S. FCC, which is often the first to “leak” tech news. This development, as is usually the case, indicates the imminent availability of the product in international markets. Most likely, we’ll see them under the commercial name “Xiaomi Open Earphones Pro” or, perhaps, “OpenWear Stereo Pro,” as appeared in some of the now-available documents.
What the… Radio Frequencies Learned from the FCC
Certification documents from the FCC are, willingly or unwillingly, a valuable source of information for those of us involved in technology, well before the grand presentations. In the case of the M2503E1 model, they give us a first, quite clear, picture of its basic features. The charging case, that essential “base” for wireless headphones, will come with a 788mAh battery capacity. The headphones themselves, each individually, will feature a 56mAh battery – not bad at all for such a small device. Furthermore, we now know that the device will support 6W charging power, and, as expected in a modern gadget, it will use Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) technology for its connectivity, which usually translates to better battery life. Finally, the documents explicitly mention the name “Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro,” confirming, as we said, the “Pro” nature of the upcoming product.
A Brief Retrospective: The Predecessor and What It Left Us
To have a point of comparison and understand where the new version will likely build upon, let’s take a quick look at the predecessor. The original Xiaomi Open Earphones (with code M2319E1) were introduced in early April 2024. Their price hovered around 90 dollars (based on their price in China, around 649 yuan). These headphones featured a 10-millimeter audio driver unit, Hi-Res Audio certification guaranteeing a certain sound quality, connectivity via Bluetooth 5.3 (the new version shifts to LE), and offered a total battery life that could reach 38.5 hours together with the charging case. They also had built-in dual microphones with noise reduction, albeit AI-assisted.
What to Expect from the “Pro” Version
While the exact improvements haven’t been officially confirmed yet, the addition of the “Pro” designation in the name suggests a series of possible upgrades in critical areas. It’s logical to anticipate improved sound quality, perhaps through larger or more advanced drivers or optimized signal processing. And here hides an interesting point: the battery capacity in the headphones and case seems to remain at the same levels. This likely means Xiaomi has focused on energy efficiency, squeezing more life out of the same battery. Additionally, it’s probable we’ll see advanced noise cancellation features (beyond simple reduction for calls), better water resistance for more active users, and perhaps even some new “smart” features or more sophisticated controls.
Release Timeline: When Can We Expect Them?
When will we see them on the shelves? Xiaomi is keeping its cards close, as usual. They haven’t made any official announcement regarding a specific launch date for the Open Earphones Pro. However, the certification from the FCC is a very strong sign that the release is not far off. Typically, companies bring their products to market within a few months after securing such regulatory approvals. So, the wait appears to be a matter of weeks or just a few months at most. With the FCC leak now having occurred, the anticipation for the official presentation of the Xiaomi Open Earphones Pro only grows.
