Main points
- Fairphone launches Fairbuds with reusable batteries and 70% recycled materials, priced at 149.99 euros.
- Fairbuds offer replaceable batteries, an equalizer app, and multipoint Bluetooth connectivity.
- Fairphone uses a modular design to reduce waste and may influence tech giants to follow suit.
Fairphone has launched a new pair of truly wireless headphones, aptly named Fairbuds. The Dutch tech company has listed the product on its website for €150, although those of us across the pond don’t seem to be able to get our hands on it yet.
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The latest Fairphone contains some welcome improvements, but it also has equally interesting shortcomings.
Just like how Fairphone works, Fairbuds puts sustainability and user service front and center. The company has designed the device in such a way that the battery is accessible to the user and can be easily replaced. Fairphone also offers 7 replacement parts, and individual earbuds can be ordered to replace lost earbuds.
Fairphone says: “Fairbuds also allow you to replace the battery in the earbuds and modular charging case. Replaceable batteries are key to the longevity of earbuds, as reduced battery life is one of the main reasons why people throw away earbuds they are using.”
The company said that both the earphones and charging case are made of 70% recycled materials, and 100% recycled rare earth elements are used in the production process.
From a technical perspective, the Buds appear to be competitive. You can expect active noise cancellation (ANC) onboard, which helps drown out unwanted noise in the environment. An IP54 rating provides basic sweat and weather resistance for added peace of mind, and a USB-C charging point is convenient.
The Fairbuds feature a six-mic setup and 11mm titanium-coated audio drivers, but the sound signature and overall audio quality need to be tested in the real world before any conclusions can be drawn. Thankfully, Fairphone offers an equalizer app for iOS and Android, which should give users more control over how their headphones sound.
Another highlight is the inclusion of multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, which I hope becomes standard on all earbuds and headphones on the market. This feature allows you to seamlessly connect your Fairbuds to two devices at the same time, so you don’t have to swap connections between your phone and laptop.
fairphone
Modular design is the way forward
Fairbuds’ repairability and replaceable batteries could be a glimpse into the future of consumer technology. Since the advent of true wireless headphones, almost all headphones on the market have been equipped with sealed batteries. You don’t need us to tell you why this isn’t ideal – batteries are consumable and will degrade over time, and throwing away an entire pair of earbuds because the battery chemistry has weakened is a complete waste.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the European Union is leading the charge in promoting user-accessible batteries in consumer devices. Starting with smartphones, the European Union is considering forcing tech companies to stop gluing phone batteries to their bodies.
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Bose, Apple, and Beats offer great sound quality and amazing ANC.
The batteries used in wireless headphones, including Fairbuds, are much smaller than those used in modern smartphones, so they naturally degrade at a faster rate. The ability to replace the battery with a new one is a huge win for the Fairphone, good for the environment and the average person’s wallet.
Fairphone is positioning its new Fairbuds as “the last pair of earbuds you’ll ever need to buy.” If the company can deliver on its promises, and the product itself can gain a solid user base, we might start to see Apple, Samsung, and others take notice.
Fairbud is now available on the Fairphone website.