Apple's AirPods are excellent wireless earbuds, but their stark white design is getting a bit old. The HTC U Ear wireless earbuds, covered in deep glossy black and designed to look very similar to Apple's headphones, could be a surprisingly stylish AirPods alternative.

First spotted by Android Police, the HTC U Ear headphones feature a long stem on the earbuds that supposedly holds a microphone to allow for hands-free calling, and also looks like a brace to keep it on the ear. They also have a carrying case very similar to the AirPods.

However, HTC's earbuds have two key elements that differentiate them from Apple's AirPods: first, the aforementioned black finish, which has a sheen like the top of a grand piano. This should be attractive to those who dislike the white-only option of the AirPods.

Another feature is that the headphones are charged via a USB-C connection, which is convenient for those who already use common charging cables for Android phones; the AirPods are capable of wireless charging, something that the HTC U Ear buds are not. However, HTC could make up for this somewhat by offering a fast charging feature.

It is unclear when the HTC U Ear headphones will debut. However, they just arrived from Taiwan's National Communications Commission and the U.S. FCC, so they may appear sooner rather than later.

More wireless earbuds on the market means more competition for Apple to fight off, and we are waiting to see what they do next with the AirPods 3 to keep rivals at bay. Speaking of which, OnePlus is reportedly working on the company's first truly wireless headphones, which will also look quite similar to the AirPods 2.

OnePlus has a reputation for making solid, if not flashy, headphones to go with smartphones like the OnePlus 8 Pro. And if OnePlus can make a great wireless earphone that competes with the AirPods in sound quality but also undercuts the AirPods in price, Apple's wireless headphones could become a serious contender. At least until Apple releases the AirPods Studio or the second generation AirPods Pro.