Fairphone has finally unveiled the launch date and price of its next pair of repairable earbuds. According to The Verge, the Dutch company will reveal the Fairbuds 2 on October 14. The wireless earbuds will first go on sale in Europe, with a US release following shortly after.
Pricing and availability
The Fairbuds 2 will cost €119 in Europe and $119 in the US. That undercuts the original Fairbuds, which debuted in 2024 at €149. The first-generation pair has since dropped to $99.99 in the US, so a $20 jump doesn’t sound like a bad deal.
The US release comes as Fairphone builds its American presence. Its push began with audio products, and last month the company followed up with the Fairphone Gen 6+, its first smartphone sold directly to US buyers. The phone costs $649 and works with AT&T and T-Mobile. The Fairbuds 2 are expected to reach American buyers sometime in the fourth quarter, though Fairphone hasn’t confirmed an exact release date.
Repairability and a codec upgrade
Repairability remains the headline feature for the upcoming earbuds. Fairphone has confirmed that the Fairbuds 2 will have seven replaceable, modular parts, matching the original pair. Anyone worried that a redesign would compromise the fix-it-yourself approach can relax.
The Fairbuds 2 will also include support for Sony’s LDAC codec, which the original pair lacked. The first model only supports SBC and AAC codecs. LDAC can carry far more audio data over Bluetooth than those two, and will prove useful for those who stream lossless music from an Android phone.
The announcement follows a leak from earlier this month that pointed to a significant redesign. Images obtained by NieuweMobiel showed the Fairbuds 2 dropping the rounded shape of the originals for a stem-style design, paired with a taller charging case. The leaked images also showed green and black color options.
