Fairphone, the corporate behind the modular 5G smartphone, Fairphone 4, has ventured into one other space of modular units: Over-ear headphones. Fairphone launched the Fairbuds XL Headphones, a pair of ANC Bluetooth headphones with sustainability in thoughts.
Fairbuds XL has six microphones, a 40mm dynamic driver, a headphone jack, and as much as 30 hours of listening with ANC turned off. They provide Ambient Sound mode, much like Apple’s AirPods Max Transparency mode.
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Sustainability comes first at Fairphone, primarily how being a sustainable tech firm means making merchandise that may be simply repaired and changed. Fairbuds XL is 100% modular, which means each part may be eliminated — together with batteries.
Historically, modular units are extra vulnerable to mud and water ingress for the reason that components are so simply detachable, however Fairbuds XL obtained an IP54, making them dust-resistant and guarded towards mild water splashes and sweat.
As compared, similarly-modeled headphones like AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM4 each have IPX4, making them splash-resistant, however their safety towards stable or mud particles isn’t outlined or was not examined.
Spare components for Fairbuds XL are usually not but accessible and have but to obtain a score from iFixit. However Fairphone 2, 3, 3+, and 4 obtained a ten/10 repairability score from iFixit, so Fairbuds are most likely simply as simple to restore.
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Modular over-ear headphones are a design feat, as there are 11 detachable components to Fairbuds XL. Many individuals just like the modern and seamless design of AirPods Max or Sony’s over-ear headphones. Fairbuds many notches for simple opening could make the headphones much less interesting to these customers.Â
Fairbuds XL is available in inexperienced or black, and each colours are adorned with Fairphone’s signature speckles on the base of the ear cups. The ear cushions and headband are usual out of 100% vegan leather-based, and the whole machine has 100% recycled aluminum all through.
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Fairbuds XL can be found to order on Fairphone’s web site beginning at €249 or about $272. Sadly, for non-Europeans, Fairphone merchandise are solely accessible to ship inside the European continent.Â
Fairphone doesn’t ship merchandise to the U.S. particularly as a result of incompatibility with North American networks and registration issues with the Federal Communications Fee. Nonetheless, the corporate hopes to develop sooner or later, and decided American Fairphone followers have discovered methods to get their fingers on the corporate’s merchandise.Â
