TL;DR
- Fairphone could be readying a pair of headphones for release.
- This would presumably be much easier to repair than typical headphones.
Update, May 8, 2023 (2:46 PM ET): We have updated our article to include new leaked images of Fairphone’s cans, which include a new colorway.
Fairphone is known for its titular smartphone line, bringing sustainably produced phones that are easily repairable to boot. The company took the sustainable but not quite repairable approach with true wireless earbuds released in 2021, and it looks like the company is about to launch another audio product.
We stumbled upon a Bluetooth SIG listing for a so-called Fairbuds XL product by Fairphone. The listing confirms the Fairbuds XL name along with Bluetooth 5.0 support.
The model number for the Fairbuds XL (HEAD-1ZW) also differs from the model number for the Fairphone TWS earbuds (EARB-1ZW). This suggests that we could be looking at headphones rather than earbuds.
Interestingly enough, a cursory Google search for “Fairbuds XL” reveals a link to a Vimeo video. The video is set to private, but we do see a thumbnail on the Google search page. And the thumbnail indeed shows a pair of headphones. Check it out below.
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
We were also able to find a product listing on a Swiss retailer’s website, revealing Black or Green colorways but little else. In saying so, the website revealed a full price of 235.35 Swiss Francs (~$263) and a promotional price tag of 185.25 Swiss Francs (~$207). There’s still a chance these retailer details could be placeholders in lieu of actual information though. So we’d advise you to take the colorways and pricing with a grain of salt.
We’re nonetheless glad to see Fairphone apparently turn to headphones next, as the company’s phones are designed with repairability in mind. It stands to reason then that the firm will take this same approach with headphones, although this wasn’t the case for its earbuds. But repairable headphones would make for a refreshing change from the ordeal that is fixing Sony headphones.
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