Apple’s AirPods are essentially a pair of Bluetooth headphones, and as such, they can be used with any device that supports Bluetooth connectivity. However, Apple has baked some features into it that make it a delight to use with an iOS device, such as faster pairing, being able to check battery levels, and more.
Now it looks like Huawei has launched Android’s answer to the AirPods in the form of the Huawei FreeBuds 3. These are a pair of “true” wireless headphones that will be powered by Huawei’s newly-announced Kirin A1 chipset. This chipset seems to be Huawei’s answer to Apple’s W1, where it will allow for faster pairing, lower power consumption, and also reduced latency.
However, it will only work with Huawei’s phones for now, so if you want to truly take advantage of them, you better own one of Huawei’s handsets. It will also trump the AirPods with one killer feature: active noise-cancelling. We have heard rumors that the feature could eventually find its way to the AirPods, but for now, Huawei has beat Apple to the punch.
LIVE: see the stunning new HUAWEI Freebuds 3 wireless headphones at #IFA19, powered by the Kirin A1 chip.
HUAWEI Freebuds 3 takes True Wireless Stereo Headset to a new generation.#HUAWEIFreebuds #HuaweiIFA2019 pic.twitter.com/OHrsjjWluS
— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) September 6, 2019
The accompanying Huawei app also comes with settings that allows the user to adjust how much noise-cancellation there is, so that users can fine tune it to their liking and preference. The FreeBuds 3 will offer 4 hours of battery life and its carrying case will let users charge it an additional four times, meaning that you’ll get an additional 20 hours.
There is no word on how much the FreeBuds 3 will cost or when it will be released.
Filed in . Read more about Headphones, Huawei, IFA and IFA 2019.