No way, HUAWEI

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 5 are one of the company’s more accomplished open-ear buds.

HUAWEI is a relatively young company in the grand scheme of things. Established in 1987 after Ren Zhengfei was discharged from China’s People’s Liberation Army, Zhengfei’s military history helped HUAWEI secure some of its first major contracts. However, HUAWEI has since faced consistent international scrutiny for allegedly stealing intellectual property from other companies. Yet despite this, HUAWEI entered the consumer electronics arena in 2016 with great success. For example, its smartphones were immediately popular for their pleasing designs and reasonable price tags.

At the time, HUAWEI boasted it would become the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer within five years. By 2018, it had taken second place ahead of Apple and was closely trailing Samsung. By all accounts, it was widely expected to make good on its promise by the end of 2019. This would have overthrown Samsung as the leading player for the first time since 2011.

HUAWEI smartphone sales overtook Apple in 2018. But in 2024, the company is no longer among the top ten global smartphone manufacturers.

However, everything stalled in May 2019 when then-US president Donald Trump signed an executive order banning telecommunications equipment from foreign firms deemed national security risks. While the ban only affects products released after May 15, 2019, it remains in perpetuity and has faced little resistance from the Biden administration. This has forced HUAWEI to pivot its business practices. It also encouraged Google to bar HUAWEI from using its suite of digital products. Subsequently, fans can no longer access Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive, or the Google Play Store from newer HUAWEI smartphones. Other US-based companies have followed suit. From Qualcomm, Intel, Arm, and Microsoft, HUAWEI is increasingly isolated from Western technology companies.

In recent years though, the US government has enacted a licensing system for US firms that want to work with HUAWEI. In particular, Qualcomm, Samsung, and Sony can sell specific manufacturing parts to HUAWEI. However, the company launched its own Harmony OS NEXT in August 2023. This removes the Android layer and strips HUAWEI devices of Android-based applications. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this has led to a downfall in international sales.

My way or the HUAWEI

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i have excellent noise canceling and cost significantly less than the competition.

Apple is still the player to beat regarding headphones. AirPods frequently top international sales. Apple’s Wearables, Home, and Accessories category also consistently outstrips its Mac and iPad segment. This is shown by the listing profiting $7.9 billion in Q2 of 2024. However, this marked a roughly 10% fall on the previous quarter’s earnings of $8.8 billion. Tim Cook (Apple’s CEO) attributes this to a difficult comparison on Apple Watch and AirPods.

In another show of strength, HUAWEI’s Harmony OS exceeded Apple’s iOS market share in China in Q1 of 2024, selling 900 million consumer devices. Domestically, HUAWEI smartphone sales increased from 9.3% to roughly 16% in 2023 — a roughly 70% improvement. Conversely, Apple’s share in China fell to 15.7% in Q1 of 2024 from 19.7% a year earlier, splitting the market virtually evenly with HUAWEI. Apple has since cut prices for Chinese customers to stay in the race.

If HUAWEI's climbing smartphone sales are anything to go by, the once-dominant AirPods Pro could be in trouble in China.

Other Western consumer electronics manufacturers fare worse than Apple. For example, Samsung recorded a $2.3 billion turnover for its Harman category in Q1 of 2024. Preliminary data from Sony’s recent Consolidated Financial Results shows that its Audio and Visual sales for Q1 of 2024 hit just over $0.5 billion. This seems markedly low. We must wait for more details when the company unveils its Q1 Earnings Announcements on August 7, 2024.

While HUAWEI’s geographical revenue stream has struggled since the US ban took effect in 2019, its domestic sales remain resilient. For example, the company earned $97 billion at home in 2023, with $35 billion generated specifically from its consumer business segment. This is up roughly 9.6% overall and 17% in its consumer category from a year earlier. Abroad, HUAWEI enjoyed an income of $6.6 billion across the Americas in 2018. This was even higher in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA,) reaching $28 billion. This fell sharply in 2020 though, hitting just $5.5 billion in the US and $25 billion across the EMEA respectively. In its most recent yearly accounting, HUAWEI raised just $4.9 billion in the States and just over $20 billion across the EMEA.

Time to Free(the)Buds?

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 5 offer an extremely comfortable fit.

It’s much more difficult to purchase HUAWEI products in the US than it used to be. However, fans outside the US and those who find a workaround may be pleased with what’s on offer. For example, HUAWEI’s latest FreeBuds 6i () have 11mm dynamic drivers and support the SBC, AAC, LDAC, and L2HC Bluetooth codecs. The last is HUAWEI’s proprietary connection and profits up to 960kbps, 44.1kHz/ 24-bit audio sampling. The buds also benefit from powerful noise canceling that attenuate an average of 27dB between 50Hz and 20kHz. They are also IP54-rated to protect against omnidirectional water splashes and small solid objects. The FreeBuds 6i last five hours with ANC enabled and benefit an extra 20 hours from the charging case. They also work with the HUAWEI AI Life app (Android/ iOS) to conduct firmware updates, edit the EQ, and customize controls.

It isn’t just in-ear buds that HUAWEI has to offer, though. The company’s recent FreeClip () open-ear buds are a spherical take on the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. Wearing a similar clip-on design, the HUAWEI FreeClip leave your ears unoccluded to maintain situational awareness. This build is often more popular among athletes and cyclists than open-fit buds like the AirPods (3rd Generation) and HUAWEI FreeBuds 5. The FreeClip wear an IP54 water- and dust-resistant rating and weigh just 5.6g. The buds last eight hours on a single charge and the case profits an extra 24 hours of playtime. Those who frequently find themselves on Zoom calls will enjoy the buds’ ability to block out distracting environmental noises. Android and iOS fans can also download the HUAWEI AI Life app to install vital firmware updates and utilize other flagship features. Unfortunately, the buds do not support active noise canceling.

HUAWEI has many other offerings, including the FreeBuds Pro 3 () and FreeBuds SE 2 (.) The former adorn an AirPods Pro aesthetic and offer a list of pleasantries including powerful noise canceling, adaptive EQ, and four ear tip sizes. The latter are the company’s affordable alternative and profit an IP54 resistance rating, Bluetooth 5.3, nine hours of battery life, and compatibility with the HUAWEI AI Life app.

But what do you think? Is HUAWEI’s recent resurgence at home indicative of the company again emerging as an international contender in the headphone arena, or is it doomed until the US lifts its sanctions? Let us know in the poll below.

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Comfort that rivals the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation)

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i have some of the best noise canceling in their price range

Some of the best wireless earbuds are lauded for their ergonomic fit. For example, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) remain the industry blueprint for many earbud manufacturers. At 5.3g per bud with a compact 31 x 22 x 24mm form factor, I and many others find the AirPods Pro 2 small enough to wear for long periods without suffering ear fatigue. Other earbuds, such as the Nothing Ear 1, are even smaller. These weigh 4.7g per bud and measure 29 x 22 x 24mm. Athletes can take solace in the IPX4 water-resistant rating of both sets of earbuds. However, the AirPods Pro 2 include an IPX4-rated charging case, which is handy. Both buds use swipe gestures to control audio playback, while the AirPods Pro 2 adorn pressure-sensitive stems for those with long hair. They’re both excellent options.

With all that said, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i are even smaller and lighter than the AirPods Pro 2, making them super comfortable for me to wear for long periods. These buds weigh just 4.9g and measure 31 x 22 x 24 mm. The FreeBuds 5i also wear a more robust IP54 rating. This protects against omnidirectional water splashes, dust, and small solid objects.

Unlike Apple’s earbuds, the FreeBuds 5i come in three attractive colorways. These include Isle Blue (my favorite), Nebula Black, and Ceramic White. The earbuds also come packaged with three different-sized silicone ear tips, providing enough choice for users to attain a tight seal. However, those with smaller ears will benefit most from purchasing third-party XS ear tips.

Flagship features for a fraction of the competition

The AirPods Pro (2nd generation) has much better noise canceling than its predecessor.

Because of the ban, the FreeBuds 5i don’t feature in our best wireless earbuds under $200. However, these buds offer flagship features for significantly less than their rivals. For example, the FreeBuds 5i have excellent noise canceling, attenuating unwanted sounds by as much as 42dB. This is comparable to the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, which are considered to have some of the best noise canceling on the market but cost $229 at launch. Likewise, the Sony WF-1000XM5 reduce the loudness of high-frequency noise by up to 47dB but cost $299 at launch. The FreeBuds 5i are less than half the price of both at just $109.

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i are comfortable noise canceling earbuds that cost significantly less than their rivals.

Sound quality is another bastion of the HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i. The buds have ample bass for busting through a rigorous workout without overpowering important fundamentals. Vocals sit at the top of the mix, and high-end sounds such as hi-hats and cymbals are clear-sounding without being sibilant. The HUAWEI AI Life app is available on iOS and Android and provides a limited selection of EQ presets, which can be used to boost bass or treble frequencies if you need to tweak their sound. What the companion app lacks in audio customization can easily be fixed by downloading a third-party EQ.

The FreeBuds 5i have fewer extras, such as spatial audio and wireless charging, than the AirPods Pro 2. However, the earbuds nail the fundamentals at a low price point. While the best earbuds for under $50 will serve those shopping on a shoestring the most, the FreeBuds 5i offer a lot more for only a little extra. Users in the US will struggle to find these earbuds from high-street retailers. However, the FreeBuds 5i can occasionally be found from and remain well worth a look.

FAQs

There are plenty of HUAWEI earbuds in the company’s portfolio, and the firm has now launched what is perhaps its strangest design yet. 

HUAWEI quietly revealed the FreeClip earbuds this week, featuring a quirky “C-bridge” design that enables the bud to wrap around the back of your ear. It certainly differs from earbuds with more conventional wingtips.

HUAWEI says these earbuds should make for an ergonomic design and can be interchangeably worn in either ear. The FreeClip buds also sport 10.8mm drivers, AI-based clear calling tech, an IP54 rating, gesture controls, and the ability to connect to two devices at once.

Expect the earbuds to last for up to eight hours, while the charging case can deliver up to 36 hours of total juice. 

Either way, the HUAWEI FreeClip is available for €199 (~$214) in the EU and £179 (~$224) in the UK.