Fairphone's Fairbuds 2 go on sale in the UK and Europe ahead of November 2nd US launch

The Fairbuds 2 have been redesigned from the ground up, moving to a stemmed shape and offered in black or green, with a charging case 37 percent smaller than the first generation. Battery life now totals 40 hours without active noise cancellation, including eight hours in the buds alone, dropping to six hours with ANC switched on. Charging is over USB-C and takes a couple of hours for a full top-up; Qi wireless charging is not supported.

Audio changes include new bio-cellulose dynamic drivers at the same 11mm size, refined ANC and support for the LDAC codec. Multipoint connectivity supports two devices at once, and a five-band EQ in the app allows users to fine-tune the sound.

After using the earbuds for a couple of weeks, The Verge's reviewer wrote that they are not the most polished or premium option at $120 but found no real complaints: they look good, the touch controls work well and audio quality is good, if a little muddy at times and without the expansive sound stage of some rival buds. The ANC cancelled most of the background noise the reviewer wanted removed.

Repairability remains the main reason to buy them. The battery in each earbud can be removed in less than a minute without tools, and a single T5 screw is all that stands between the user and the cell in the case. Fairphone will sell spare parts on its site, with seven user-replaceable parts in total, including eartips and sleeves. An IP54 rating provides some protection against rain and sweat, though not full waterproofing, and the earbuds carry a three-year warranty. The Verge noted that European legal changes will soon force other manufacturers to match those standards.

Fairphone also cites transparency about its production and materials, saying 49 percent of the materials in the Fairbuds 2 are "fair and recycled," including recycled plastics, rare earth minerals, and cobalt, gold and silver sourced with fair mining credits. The company says the buds themselves are assembled under fair working conditions.

Editor's Summary

Fairphone's second-generation Fairbuds 2 are on sale in the UK and Europe for £99/€119, with a US launch on November 2nd at $119, combining tool-free repairs with 40 hours of total battery life, new drivers and LDAC support. The release lands as European rules are expected to push other earbud makers toward repairable designs, and as Fairphone continues to market material sourcing and assembly conditions as part of its pitch.