Fairphone’s devices may not make it to the list of the best phones in the business, but their offerings are appealing nonetheless. Whether it’s for the company’s promise of using recycled materials in the assembly of its smartphones or providing software updates longer than any other modern-day flagship, there are plenty of reasons to love Fairphone’s products. We recently came across a few official-looking renders of the company’s next venture — sustainably designed and repair-friendly over-ear headphones. The Netherlands-based manufacturer has launched the oddly-named Fairbuds XL, even though it’s not an in-ear audio accessory.
But if we can look over that aspect, the Fairbuds XL has a lot to offer. It continues Fairphone’s legacy of using recycled materials in its products, with the product listing claiming the new over-ear headphones leverage 100% recycled aluminum, 100% recycled solder paste, 100% vegan leather ear cushions and headband, and 80% recycled plastic. There’s also a 100% recycled textile pouch offered with the Fairbuds XL for good measure.
Stowing away these headphones is fairly easy, thanks to the foldable body, akin to some of the best over-ear headphones in the business today. Despite being a modular audio accessory, the Fairbuds XL is IP54 certified, which means it can handle light to moderate rain or sweat. As one would expect, these ANC headphones work with any Bluetooth-enabled device, including the company’s own Fairphone 3, Fairphone 3+, and Fairphone 4. Furthermore, voice assistants like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Siri are supported out of the box.
Some of the standard features we’ve come to expect from over-ear ANC headphones are present, including the ability to switch between noise-canceling and Ambient Sound mode. A total of six microphones are available here, with four positioned on the right and two on the left earcup, respectively. The company is also touting something known as Digital Hybrid ANC with the Fairbuds XL.
The headphones can seemingly last for up to 30 hours of music or calls with ANC disabled, while the number dips to ~26 hours with ANC switched on. There’s no charging cable or adapter provided with the Fairbuds XL, which is not unexpected considering the company’s history. Fairphone says it will sell a USB-C charging cable separately, though the accessories page for the Fairbuds XL only has the USB-C to 3.5mm cable on offer.
Speaking to TechCrunch, Fairphone’s audio product manager Bob van Iersel said that the Fairbuds XL comprises nine “modules” or spare parts, as illustrated below. The executive deems the right speaker module as among the “more complex” components of the Fairbuds XL since it also packs a couple of physical buttons, including what the company calls the “joystick” and a dedicated ANC button.
Fairphone is currently shipping the Fairbuds XL across Europe, with no US launch in sight. The price tag of €249 (before shipping) does seem a little steep, but considering the fact that you’re expected to keep these headphones for longer than almost any other wireless headphones in the market, the pricing seems justified. Interested customers can pick up the Fairbuds XL in green and black colors, while spare parts are supposedly “coming soon.”
