LG has revealed a new pair of wireless earbuds (HBS-FN6 and HBS-FN4), destined to hit selected markets next month, but these Tone Free offerings are a little more interesting that what we’ve seen in the past. This as the case for the Tone Free wireless earbuds serves two purposes – charging and disinfecting.
This is a first for the industry, and quite an intriguing prospect that definitely helps distinguish LG’s earbuds from the swathe of options on the market at the moment.
According to the South Korean manufacturer, many a germ can remain on earbuds, and in the era of increased sanitisation that COVID-19 has brought about, LG has chosen to add a UV disinfecting element to the design of charging case for the HBS-FN6 Tone Free earbuds.
“Utilizing built-in ultraviolet light, LG’s slim charging case keeps listeners’ ears cleaner by eliminating 99.9 percent of E. coli and S. aureus from the non-toxic, hypoallergenic silicone ear gel and inner mesh,” the company explains in a press release sent to Hypertext.
As for the other use of the case, namely charging, it can yield one hour of listening time from five minutes of charging. A fully charged case can also deliver up to three full six hours battery life’s, bringing the total to 18 hours.
Along with the headline grabbing disinfecting case, LG has also partnered with audio specialists Meridian on the sound quality available on both models, utilising a technology called Digital Signal Processing (DSP).
DSP is said to deliver, “A realistic soundstage that simulates the experience of listening to real loudspeakers, it also delivers vocals with pristine clarity, completely immersing the listener,” according to the company.
Added to this is voice command control for Google Assistant and Siri, which means both Android and iOS smartphones will be able to pair with the Tone Free earbuds. There’s also an IPX4 rating for water splashing, if you plan to gym with the buds.
For now, no precise availability or pricing is confirmed for South Africa at this stage, but the same goes for the US and Europe, which are set to receive the wireless earbuds next month.
