Aipower today unveiled its new Wearbuds earbuds which look to redefine what people understand as true wireless earbuds.
The true wireless earbud market has been booming of late as people look to cut the cord in more ways than one. By offering a completely detached audio experience, wearers can make better use of a level of audio freedom that was not really on offer before in the same way.
However, Aipower argues the wealth of true wireless earbuds currently available to buy are not really true wireless earbuds due to their dependency on users carrying a case for storage and charging.
Aipower even goes so far as to say these cases are in effect an “invisible wire” and that’s what the company now intends to do away with.
The Aipower Wearbuds do not rely on a carry case for storage or for charging. Instead, they come as part of a smartband fitness tracker that users wear on the wrist.
When at the gym, for example, users simply remove the earbuds from the tracker, use them during their workout, and then re-insert them back into the tracker when finished. No wires, no additional cases, no anything else.
Similar to the case, when the earbuds are not in use and stored in the tracker, the tracker itself will supply power and charge them over time.
The earbuds are rated to offer up to four hours of standalone use and with the additional charges available through the watch are expected to offer up to twelve hours of usage in total per earbuds/smartband cycle.
While this might sound like a gimmick, the company is positioning these as a premium audio solution that draws on the use of graphene-augmented drivers, Bluetooth 5.0, as well as a Qualcomm chipset and aptX support. This is in addition to a “barely-there” design that ensures a tight and less noticeable fit, while also helping to improve noise isolation.
As these are fitness-based earbuds, they do also come with the various protections one might expect, including a durable build quality and an IPX6 water-resistance certification.
With so much focus here on the earbuds it is easy to forget you are getting a fitness tracker thrown in for free.
Like other smartband-based trackers, this one comes with the ability to monitor steps, calories burned, heart rate and sleep. In addition, the band itself features a touchscreen so users are able to get real-time feedback on these measurements or view notifications. For example when connected to a smartphone the smartband can provide on-wrist notifications for calls and texts, and notifications for various social media services, including Facebook and Twitter.
The smartband also comes with a similar fitness-based design thanks to the use of a food grade silicone strap and an IPX5 water-resistance rating.
Beyond unveiling its unique take on a true wireless listening experience, the company also confirmed the Wearbuds earbuds are becoming available to pre-order in the U.S. starting today.
In terms of the cost, the earbuds are launching through Kickstarter priced at $99. However, those who pre-order early enough will be able to save even more as the company has confirmed 1,000 units will be made available for $69 and 500 units at just $49. In addition, buyers do have the option of choosing between five different colors (shiny black, shiny white, glossy white, shiny mint and glossy coral).
The Aipower Wearbuds are expected to begin shipping out to those who pre-ordered first starting in September.
See Aipower Wearbuds on Kickstarter