Swedish headphone maker Earin unveiled its A-3 true wireless earbuds at the opening of CES 2021.

Showing off a new design that removes the AirPods-style stalk and in-ear tips of the A-2 model, Earin says the A-3 is the "smallest and lightest" headphone ever made.

This is a big claim from a company that is no stranger to making earbuds; according to Earin, the first set of these buds, simply named Earin True Wireless Earbuds, were the first ever headphones completely cable-free when they launched in October 2015. They became the first headphones to be completely cable-free.

However, while we have yet to touch the actual device, the A-3 appears to be very small. Each bud does not appear to stick out from the user's ear like most true wireless earbuds. The only part close to it is a sliver of a sensor for the A-3's touch controls.

The move from in-ear tips to a more open design means that there is no seal for active noise cancellation (ANC), which, according to Earin, allows more ambient sound in and makes the user safer when running or cycling in busy places. He says this was a deliberate choice to make it safer.

These headphones are not tacky headphones, either. In addition to the custom-made 14.3mm drivers, each bud has a built-in accelerometer that picks up head vibrations as you speak. This, combined with the built-in microphone input, is said to improve voice quality when making phone calls. The accelerometer also allows tapping any part of the earpiece to register a control input, in case the touch-sensitive area is missed.

Even more clever is the way the A-3 earphones detect which ear is being worn. There is no pre-determined left or right bud, but rather, it fits either ear, and once worn, the left and right channels are automatically assigned. This saves the user the trouble of checking to see if they are wearing the correct bud in the right ear.

The A-3 also meets IP52 dust and waterproof standards, which is not enough to protect against high-pressure sprays, but should not be a problem for sweat resistance.

Earin has not given a specific release date, but has stated that the A-3 will be available in Q1 2021. Priced at $199, the A-3 falls somewhere between the standard AirPods and the AirPods Pro. The A-3 is attractively small but seems about right in terms of features, and the sound quality of its semi-open design may make all the difference.