The new Huawei FreeBuds 4i, which become available on 1 April, have been unveiled. The true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones have among the longest battery lives the market has ever seen, at 10 hours of continuous hours playback.
Like the previous generation, the FreeBuds 4i come with active noise cancellation (ANC) and a premium sound quality. The earbuds now house built-in acoustic components and algorithms to generate inverted soundwaves, used to cancel out noise for a more immersive audio experience.
This “anti-sound” tone generator is one of the more advanced methods of noise cancellation, and will prove useful in loud spaces like busy shopping centres. For those who don’t want to be cut off from the outside world, they come with an awareness mode to allow the user to stay aware of surroundings and communicate with those around them without needing to remove the earbuds.
For more comfort, the ear tips have undergone thousands of tests to ensure they fit more ear canals. There are also multiple eartips in the box to ensure a good fit.
The fourth generation of these earphones marks the maturity of TWS (True Wireless Stereo) headphone technology, which is now far more affordable than before. “Cable cutting” enables far more scenarios of use, whether it be using them with a device that doesn’t have a headphone jack, or charging a connected smartphone in another room while keeping a Zoom call going.
Pre-orders for the Huawei Freebuds 4i are open. The device costs R1,499, and users who pay R100 to reserve a unit will receive an extra R200 discount off the balance of the purchase price. Huawei is also throwing in a free mini speaker, protective case and three-month Huawei Music VIP subscription –together valued at R978. This is exclusive to the Huawei Store (Online).
In South Africa, the FreeBuds 4i will be available in Ceramic White and Carbon Black.