For the longest time, open-ear earbuds have generated mixed responses from the audio community. On the one hand, they offer an alternative to in-ear earbuds that have now dominated the market and left little space for design variety. On the other hand, many of the recent open-ear earbuds have been met with disinterest, with critics citing the discomfort and inconvenience of the popular neckband or ear-hook form factors.
These reasons have been the driving force behind the creation and, more recently, the popularity of the HUAWEI FreeClip – now available in South Africa. Recognising the shortcomings of most open-ear earbuds, HUAWEI took user feedback about design, comfort, and audio experience seriously. What followed was three full years of development to perfect this new form earbud form factor, resulting in the unique C-Bridge Design.
The Innovation Story Behind the C-bridge Design
Launched as part of HUAWEI’s latest Fashion Forward direction, the FreeClip embodies both style and comfort. Sporting the cool factor of a fashionable ear accessory, it appeals to style-conscious users and trendy youth seeking tech that elevates their look. To suit a variety of tastes and styles, the iconic C-bridge design comes in two distinct looks —
iridescent Purple and minimalist-chic Black.
However, the FreeClip’s clip-on design is more than just an ear clip. HUAWEI specially designed the C-bridge, employing extensive and complex engineering to strike a balance between aesthetics and ergonomic comfort. To achieve the optimal design balancing size, weight and quality, HUAWEI spent three years crafting the earbuds using human-centered design philosophies. The result was an efficient C-shaped style, which ties the device’s design, acoustics, and control operations together, all while ensuring stability and durability.
Ergonomic Comfort and Stability
The C-bridge Design was created using global data from over 10,000 human ears, ensuring a comfortable and secure fit regardless of ear size and shape. It uses high-performance nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) shape memory alloy, which ensures optimal comfort for different ear sizes and shapes. Each earbud weighs just 5.6 grams – light enough for all-day wear.
Together with the ergonomic convex-concave structures of the Acoustic Ball and Comfort Bean, each feature works together to distribute pressure more effectively across the ear, reducing the typical discomfort often caused by clip-on devices. This creates a secure yet comfortable fit.
Improved Open-Ear Audio Experience
The actual audio experience of many open-ear earbuds is nothing but disappointing. This is mostly because of the distance from the sound outlet to the ear canals, which not only lessens the clarity of the audio but also increases the possibility of sound leakage. The C-bridge Design solves this by optimising the distance and the angle between the Comfort Bean and Acoustic Ball, which are tilted at an angle of 11.4°, to fit snugly along the curvature of the ear The Acoustic Ball aligns with the ear canal, comfortably covering the helix crus and antitragus without blocking the canal.
At the same time, the HUAWEI FreeClip’s audio quality has been further bolstered with two features – its dual-magnet high-sensitivity driver unit and Reverse Sound Waves System. The dual-magnetic driver increases the magnetic induction intensity, thus creating better sound clarity and resonance, while the Reverse Sound Waves System reduces sound leakage and makes the audio more immersive and private.
Convenience Redefined: 36-Hour Battery Life, Sweat and Water Resistance, and more
The C-bridge supports touch gestures along its surface, so users can easily control the audio playback with simple taps. And despite its lightweight body, the FreeClip can last up to 36 hours together with the charging case, with each earbud lasting up to 8 hours of continuous use.
Even though the FreeClip uses an open-ear design, its triple call noise reduction feature ensures crystal clear calls even in noisy environments. Together with an AI-powered DNN algorithm as well as a sound suppression duct built into the Acoustic Ball, it is able to effectively cancel ambient noises and curb wind interference for distraction-free communication.
Active users who often use their earbuds for fitness activities can rest assured that their earbuds are protected by IP54 water, dust, sweat and water resistance. This allows them to sweat it out freely during workout sessions and enjoy comfortable yet breathable open-ear earbuds.
Experience the Freedom of Sound and Style
It’s about time open-ear earbuds got a facelift. The HUAWEI FreeClip has embraced the emerging demand for fashion-driven technology and boasts thoughtful design and innovation.
It’s great for users looking for functional earbuds stylish enough to flaunt anywhere, whether it’s the gym, office, or a night out with friends.
Get your hands on the FreeClip from Vodacom for R189 a month for 24 months or for R129 a month for 36 months. Alternatively, head to the HUAWEI Online Store and purchase yours for R3 999.
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