Glossary
Open-ear audio
Speakers that sit just outside the ear and direct sound inward, leaving the ear canal open.
Open-ear audio is the speaker arrangement used by nearly all camera glasses. Small drivers in the arms of the frame point sound towards the ear without sealing it, so the wearer hears the audio and the world around them at the same time. A voice assistant answers through the same speakers.
Why glasses use it
Because the ear stays open, the wearer keeps track of traffic, announcements and anyone talking to them, which matters for something worn all day and not only while listening. It also avoids putting anything in the ear canal at all.
The trade-offs
Sound that is not sealed into the ear loses bass and is beaten by background noise, so a busy street or a train will drown it. It also leaks: at higher volumes people close by can hear what you are listening to, and can hear the assistant’s replies. Some designs shape the output to reduce that, but none removes it.