Shokz Brand Ambassador Sakanaction's Ichiro Yamaguchi Takes the Stage! Next-Generation Open-Ear Earphones 'OpenFit Pro' with First-Ever Focus Mode Launched at New Product Announcement Event

Shokz Japan Inc., a manufacturer of open-ear headphones that provide a new audio experience, announced its next-generation open-ear headphones 'OpenFit Pro' at the 'Shokz Spring 2026 New Product Announcement Event' held at LUMINE 0 on Monday, April 6, 2026. At this announcement event, Kento Tomita, CMO of Shokz Japan Inc., took the stage to introduce the brand's initiatives and the features of the new product. Following this, Ichiro Yamaguchi of Sakanaction, who serves as a Shokz brand ambassador, was welcomed as a guest. The event included a screening of their collaborative web commercial 'Wonderful Sound Like Music,' a ceremony to commemorate achieving the No.1 sales position (※1), and a talk session. After the announcement event, media outlets were provided with an opportunity to experience the new product, allowing attendees to directly feel the appeal of the new product. ※Self-aggregated data from BCN Ranking data 'Microphone-equipped Headphones (Headsets)' from January to December 2025, extracting 'Bone Conduction type' / 'Separated clip type on both sides'. Shokz has proposed a new listening experience that allows users to enjoy music while naturally hearing surrounding sounds through its open-ear design. The newly announced 'OpenFit Pro' is an open-ear earphone equipped with Shokz's first-ever Focus Mode, achieving an ideal balance of openness and concentration. Furthermore, it is a model that combines high-quality sound with beautiful detail expression thanks to Shokz SuperBoost™, comfortable wearing, and ease of use that fits various daily scenes. ## 'Shokz Spring 2026 New Product Announcement Event' | Event Highlights ### New Product 'OpenFit Pro' Announcement At the beginning of the event, Kento Tomita, CMO of Shokz Japan Inc., took the stage to introduce Shokz's brand journey and initiatives in the Japanese market, while also announcing the new product 'OpenFit Pro'. Tomita stated, "Shokz has always offered a new listening experience with 'open-ear' technology that doesn't block the ears. The 'OpenFit Pro', which we are announcing today, is the next-generation flagship model that further evolves its comfort, sound quality, and functions while maintaining that comfort." The 'OpenFit Pro' is an open-ear earphone equipped with Shokz's first-ever Focus Mode. By integrating a unique open-ear design with advanced noise reduction technology, it provides a new listening experience where users can enjoy music clearly even in noisy environments, while still being aware of their surroundings. In addition, it features the latest Shokz SuperBoost™ and an ultra-large 11x20mm dual-diaphragm driver, precisely expressing sound details from smooth highs to deep lows. It also supports Dolby Atmos-optimized tuning and head-tracking technology, achieving an immersive sound experience. Furthermore, with the ultimate wearing comfort of Shokz Ultra-Soft Silicone™ 2.0 and the stable fit provided by ultra-thin nickel-titanium alloy ear hooks, it can be used comfortably for long periods. It was introduced as a device that fits various scenes, from daily use to commuting and workouts. ### Web Commercial 'Wonderful Sound Like Music' Screening Next, the new web commercial 'Wonderful Sound Like Music,' which has been available since Tuesday, March 3, 2026, was screened. Ichiro Yamaguchi, a Shokz brand ambassador, appeared in this commercial. Through natural scenes depicting Yamaguchi's daily life, the commercial expresses the comfortable audio experience proposed by Shokz. ### Ichiro Yamaguchi Takes the Stage! Ceremony Commemorating No.1 Sales Achievement After the CM screening, Shokz brand ambassador Ichiro Yamaguchi took the stage and spoke about his impressions of the brand and his involvement with the product. Yamaguchi, who has been a long-time user of Shokz products, shared an anecdote about how surprised an otolaryngologist was by the extremely large size of his ears, comparing them to an NBA player's. He revealed that he had struggled with conventional earphones not fitting his ears, but open-ear earphones, which are not affected by ear shape, have helped him, conveying their appeal through his personal experience. Furthermore, a ceremony was held at the venue to commemorate Shokz achieving the No.1 sales position (※1) in the 'Bone Conduction' and 'Separated clip type on both sides' categories of the Japanese earphone market according to 'BCN Ranking Data' for fiscal year 2025. With Yamaguchi's call, the kusudama (decorative ball) opened, and the venue was filled with thunderous applause. ※Self-aggregated data from BCN Ranking data 'Microphone-equipped Headphones (Headsets)' from January to December 2025, extracting 'Bone Conduction type' / 'Separated clip type on both sides'. ### Introducing the Appeal of 'OpenFit Pro' in a Talk Session In the subsequent talk session, Ichiro Yamaguchi and Kento Tomita took the stage to discuss the appeal of 'OpenFit Pro'. The talk covered topics such as the openness unique to open-ear design, the new listening experience realized by Shokz's first-ever Focus Mode, the high-quality sound that expresses details beautifully, and comfortable wearing. The 'OpenFit Pro', which achieves a high level of sound quality, functionality, and wearability, was introduced as a model active in a wide range of situations, from business scenes to daily use, travel, and workouts. Yamaguchi touched on the advantage of being able to listen to music while hearing external sounds, evaluating the product, which achieves an ideal balance between ambient sound and music, as a "groundbreaking product that allows you to enjoy music while leveraging the benefits of open-ear." Regarding wearing comfort, he said, "It feels natural to wear and I end up wearing it all day," and shared a surprising anecdote: "I forgot I was wearing them and put headphones over them." He also mentioned using them for his hobby, fishing, and enthusiastically stated, "If they were closed-back, the enjoyment of nature would fade, but with open-ear, you can still enjoy nature. You can hear the sounds of waves and wind, so you don't feel disconnected from nature." Despite being in a position to create music, he revealed, "I use open-ear earphones when I'm inputting," and finally appealed, "I encourage everyone to experience Shokz's open-ear earphones at least once." ### Providing a New Audio Experience with Touch & Try After the announcement event, a touch-and-try session was held for attending media. Visitors personally experienced the 'OpenFit Pro', including its wearing comfort, sound quality, and how the Focus Mode sounds. It became an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the new audio experience proposed by Shokz. ## New Flagship Model 'OpenFit Pro' | Product Overview **Product Name:** OpenFit Pro **Sales Price:** 39,880 yen (tax included) **Pre-order Start:** April 7, 2026 (Tuesday) 0:00 **Color Options:** White, Black **Release Date:** April 22, 2026 (Wednesday) **Sales Channels:** Shokz Official Online Store, Major consumer electronics retailers nationwide **

** **1. Suppress noise with 'Focus Mode' for your personal music time** Three microphones and a unique algorithm that adapts to the shape of the ear precisely predict the noise level inside the ear. By generating out-of-phase sound waves to cancel out noise, it creates a clear and immersive environment even as an open-ear device. **2. High-quality sound beautifully expressing every detail** Equipped with the latest 'Shokz SuperBoost™' and an ultra-large 11x20mm synchronous dual-diaphragm driver. It accurately expresses every detail of sound, from smooth highs to deep lows. **3. Immersive experience with Dolby Atmos support and head-tracking** Dolby Atmos-optimized tuning reproduces astonishingly clear sound quality and rich detail. Furthermore, head-tracking technology makes sound move with your head movements, creating an immersive experience as if you were there. **4. Light, gentle, and evolved wearing comfort** Adopts marshmallow-soft 'Shokz Ultra-Soft Silicone™ 2.0'. Ultra-thin nickel-titanium alloy ear hooks flexibly fit the ear's shape, maintaining comfortable and stable wear for long periods, from morning to night. **5. High practicality that fits every daily scene** - Clear calls: Triple microphone array with AI voice recognition reduces environmental noise by up to 99.4%. - Long battery life: Up to 50 hours of playback with charging case. 10-minute quick charge provides up to 4 hours of playback. - Smart charging: Supports Qi wireless charging (※immediately usable with the charger included in the limited gift box). - Tough design: IP55 dust and water resistance, compatible with sweat and sudden rain. ## About Shokz Japan Inc. Shokz brings innovation to open-ear headphones that do not block the ears. It achieves high sound quality with its unique audio technology and offers products at accessible price points. Shokz provides a new audio experience where users can enjoy 'ambient listening' with high sound quality, ensuring safety and the best sound quality. It continues to develop products that revolutionize the earphone industry.