Can be charged from a smartphone. Check out HUAWEI's earphone "Freelace"

Nowadays, completely wireless earphones are in full swing, but the left and right units are still more connected in terms of sound interruption, less delay, and longer operating time. HUAWEI released Freelace, a left-right integrated (neckband type) Bluetooth earphone, at the end of June. It is also a slightly unusual earphone that can be charged and paired by directly connecting to a smartphone using USB Type-C.

Related article: Wired pairing wireless earphone "HUAWEI Free Lace" released in late June --Engadget Japanese version

Accessories include earpieces of different sizes and a USB-A to C conversion cable. Use this cable for charging as needed.

▲ There are 3 types of earpieces, S, M, and L (M is already attached to the main body). The length of the conversion cable is about 20 cm. The design as a Bluetooth earphone is an orthodox neck-mounted type. The cable length from the neckband to the earphone is about 20 cm.

The operation units are gathered on the right side. There is a function button between the "+" and "-" of the volume. Single-click to play / stop, double-click to advance the song, and triple-click to return the song. You can activate the voice assistant on your smartphone by pressing and holding the function button for 2 seconds.

The earphone part is a magnet, so you won't hang around when you're not using it. Also, there is no function like turning off the power when you remove it from your ear, but when you attach the magnet, the power turns off, and when you remove it, the power turns on.

The characteristic of FreeLace is its charging method. If you pull down from the operation part on the right side, a USB Type-C connector will appear. If it is a smartphone that supports OTG, you can just insert it and charge it. Also, if the terminal is equipped with HUAWEI's EMUI 9.1 or higher, Bluetooth pairing will be completed if you insert the USB. Of course, you can pair normally with other terminals.

Continuous playback for about 18 hours is possible with one charge. It supports quick charging, and it can be used for 4 hours with 5 minutes of charging. However, I tried connecting it to the Galaxy S10, but the current and voltage that flowed was about 5V / 0.1-0.2A. It is about the same even if it is connected to the USB-AC of PD 60W. If you connect it to a HUAWEI terminal (HUAWEI HiPair compatible terminal), the voltage and current that flow may increase a little more.

In any case, you can charge it from your smartphone without the need for cables, so you don't have to rush if the battery runs out on the go. Good fit. It doesn't feel heavy and has IPX5 waterproof performance, so if you're running lightly, you'll be able to handle it without any problems. However, since it can be directly connected to a smartphone, I think it would have been better if it had a built-in storage and could copy songs by wire and play music by itself.

It's the essential sound, but the bass is quite powerful and the treble sounds clear. On the other hand, I got the impression that the midrange was a little muffled. There is a personal feeling about this area, so I would like you to actually try it at a mass retailer. In addition, although FreeLace can be used without problems other than HUAWEI terminals, it seems that firmware updates can only be done on terminals equipped with EMUI 9.1 or later at present. I don't think earphone firmware updates are so common, but you may want to keep this in mind.