AI-rewritten: This is a summary of an article from The Verge, rewritten by AI (Qwen, running locally) to make it easier to read. The facts come from the original article – read it for the full story.

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Fairphone has launched its second pair of earbuds in the UK and Europe at £99 or €119, with a US launch scheduled for November 2nd at $119. The Fairbuds 2 feature a redesigned stemmed case that is 37 percent smaller than the first generation, yet they offer almost twice the battery life of the original model. Without active noise cancellation, the buds provide up to 40 hours of total playback time, dropping to eight hours on the earbuds alone and six hours when ANC is enabled. Charging occurs via USB-C in a couple of hours, though wireless charging is not supported.

Audio performance includes new bio-cellulose dynamic drivers at the same 11mm size, refined active noise cancellation, and support for the LDAC codec. The device also features multipoint connectivity for two devices simultaneously and a five-band equalizer in the app. While the reviewer notes the sound can be slightly muddy compared to other options, they found the ANC effective and the simple touch controls functional.

Repairability remains a core focus, with each earbud’s battery removable in under a minute using no tools, and only one T5 screw required to access the case battery. Seven user-replaceable parts are available for purchase, including eartips and sleeves, backed by an IP54 rating for rain and sweat protection and a three-year warranty. Fairphone states that 49 percent of the materials are fair and recycled, sourced from fair mining credits for cobalt, gold, and silver, with assembly conducted under fair working conditions.