Fairbuds: In-ear with replaceable batteries

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Product & Battery Design

  • Strong interest in the fully replaceable batteries in both buds and case; many assumed proprietary cells but others found they use a standard LIR1054-type cell, with cheap spares available.
  • Some see this as a big step versus typical glued-in TWS designs; others doubt many users will actually replace batteries before losing or breaking the buds.
  • A few wish the case used commodity cylindrical cells (e.g., 18350/16340) or even hot-swappable packs, but acknowledge size constraints.

Audio Quality, ANC & Codecs

  • Several users are cautiously optimistic about ANC but expect it to be worse than Bose/Sony; ANC quality is a major concern for people who rely on it (e.g., ADHD, noisy offices).
  • Ear tip fit is a recurring issue; some rely on custom or unusual tips and want confirmation about compatibility and size options.
  • The codec support (SBC/AAC only, no LC3/LE Audio) is criticized as outdated for a 2024 premium product, especially for call quality and latency. Others counter that AAC is fine for music and that most users don’t care about duplex audio quality.

Bluetooth UX & Multipoint

  • Multipoint (“dual point”) support is appreciated; many say it works well across phones, laptops, TVs, etc.
  • Others report multipoint in general as flaky and annoying (audio “stolen” by background tabs, constant connect/disconnect messages), preferring manual switching.

Price, Market & Use Cases

  • At ~€150, these compete with both cheap sub-$50 buds and premium brands. Some feel the price is high given unknown ANC/sound performance; others argue that good ergonomics, mics, and repairability justify a premium.
  • Some treat wireless earbuds as semi-disposable (often lost or damaged before batteries die) and see little value in repairability; others have multiple expensive buds rendered useless solely by worn-out batteries and see this design as crucial.

Sustainability vs. Alternatives

  • Many praise the design for reducing e‑waste and aligning with Fairphone’s ethics and long-term support.
  • Others argue that wired headphones (enabled by a 3.5mm jack or robust USB‑C audio support) are inherently more sustainable and resent Fairphone’s removal of the jack.
  • There’s debate over whether repairability or efficient large-scale recycling is the better sustainability lever.

Comfort & Form Factor

  • Mixed reactions to in-ear design; some cannot tolerate canal-sealing tips and want more open or clip-on form factors. Custom tips and “open-ear” or bone-conduction alternatives are mentioned as workarounds.