Xiaomi has made its entry into the clip-on earbuds market with the Xiaomi Clip, an open-ear model that was launched in China on May 21, priced at $125.
The company is mainly recognised in the UK for its budget-friendly audio products, such as the Redmi Buds 8 Pro, which retails at £64.99.
Therefore, the Clip represents a move into a more premium segment. However, its competitive positioning against rivals like the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (around $300) or the more affordable EarFun Clip 2 (priced under $100) will largely depend on the final pricing in the UK and US markets.
Xiaomi AI earbud features
Each earbud weighs a mere 5.5g and is equipped with an 11mm driver that covers a frequency range from 20Hz to 48kHz. The supported codecs include AAC, SBC, and LHDC 5.0, the latter being a high-resolution audio format that competes with Sony’s LDAC. Connectivity is facilitated by Bluetooth 5.4.
The battery life is rated at 9 hours per earbud, extending to 38 hours when using the charging case.
Xiaomi also states that the earbuds have an IP57 rating for dust and water resistance, although this specific rating has not been independently verified; the company’s existing OpenWear Stereo model is rated at IP54.
A notable feature is the real-time translation capability across 21 languages, integrated into the earbuds through Xiao AI, Xiaomi’s own assistant.
Such translation functionality is uncommon in products priced under $150, but the effectiveness of this feature outside of Xiaomi’s HyperOS ecosystem remains uncertain.
The earbuds also support dual-device switching and are confirmed to be compatible with Apple devices, which is significant for iPhone users who may not experience full integration with Xiao AI.
Will the new earbuds be launched in the UK or US soon?
As of now, no retail pricing in GBP or USD has been confirmed, nor has a launch date for the UK or US been announced.
Xiaomi has distribution through Amazon UK for its audio products, suggesting that the Clip will likely be available there eventually, although no specific timeline has been provided.
The launch price in China of $125 roughly converts to £100, but import duties and retailer margins typically increase that amount.
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