Fairphone has released the Fairbuds 2, a second generation of earbuds that maintains the brand's repairable design while offering improved audio and nearly double the battery life of its predecessor. The shift raises questions about how well a sustainability-focused hardware brand can balance component longevity with compact form factors in the competitive audio market.
The new earbuds feature a complete design overhaul, moving from the original configuration to a stemmed shape available in black or green. Fairphone reports that the charging case is 37 percent smaller than the first generation, yet the hardware supports a total battery life of 40 hours without active noise cancellation. This represents an almost two-fold increase in runtime compared to the initial pair.
The Fairbuds 2 are currently available in the United Kingdom and Europe at a price of £99 or €119. A launch in the United States is scheduled for November 2nd at a price of $119. The Verge reports on the release, noting that the devices remain just as repairable as the first generation despite the significant changes to their physical structure.