Have you ever left home and realized that you left your earbuds at home? This usually happens at the worst time like during a boring train ride or when you need to join a video meeting in a few minutes. Although this is not the end of the world, it can be quite a frustrating situation. Thankfully, Huawei has developed a solution with their HUAWEI WATCH Buds – a cutting-edge smartwatch with built-in earbuds…
Just pop up the watch under screen and the earbuds are threre ready and charged to be used for a call, listening to music or posdcasts. The earbuds are compact and space-efficient, and the smartwatch is multi-purpose without being bulky. Additionally, the earbuds are designed to be identical and can automatically detect which ear they are in, making it easier to wear and to put them back in the case under the screen without trying to figure out which one goes where.
How does it work?
The earbuds are stored in a charging case that doubles as a smartwatch with a 1.43-inch AMOLED screen and Clouse de Paris detailed crown. The smartwatch is designed with no empty space and no compromises, and features full-grain leather straps. While the HUAWEI WATCH Buds was first announced in China in December 2022, it is now making its global debut starting with the EU (€499 EUR) and the UK (£449 GBP).
The design and engineering of the watch and earbuds are a remarkable achievement, featuring 21 layers of technology carefully integrated without any wasted space. Over 20 of the watch’s internal components are laser-welded together without using screws or fixtures, and the components are assembled with tolerances as low as 30 microns. This allows the watch to have a slim profile of only 15mm while accommodating everything from the SoC and battery to various components and sensors, the display, and Huawei’s latest TruSeen™ 5.0+ heart sensor array. Additionally, the watch houses two powerful earbuds that can be accessed by pressing a button that flips open the lid, and they fit comfortably under the hood.
The earbuds are…
The TWS earbuds are impressively compact, measuring around 0.8 inches long, yet they offer a lot in terms of functionality. They are designed to be used in either ear and automatically detect which ear they are placed in, eliminating the need for left or right orientation. Despite their small size, they are equipped with full-range planar speakers that deliver balanced audio and output sound at higher than 104dB with a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz. The earbuds have dual microphones that provide them with active noise cancellation features, while the dynamic EQ, ear canal adaptation, wear detection, and patented wind noise-suppressing design further enhance their performance. Although they don’t have much in terms of touch controls due to their tiny size, Huawei has come up with a solution that lets you tap your ear to control playback. By tapping twice, you can play/pause music or answer/reject calls, and by tapping thrice, you can enable or disable noise cancelation. Moreover, the watch itself allows you to customize controls for each earbud individually.
What about the watch?
The HUAWEI WATCH Buds smartwatch is a remarkable engineering feat, as it houses two TWS earbuds within its 47 x 47.5 x 15 mm (1.85 x 1.87 x 0.59 in) stainless steel frame, curved glass front, and leather straps. In addition to its earbud feature, the smartwatch functions as a traditional watch, with numerous features including music playback, AI noise cancellation, and Dual Mic + VPU for making calls and video chats, and fitness tracking capabilities for up to 80 different exercises, such as running, hiking, and cycling. The TruSeen™ 5.0+ sensor array uses eight photosensors arranged in a circular pattern and an upgraded algorithm, improving the accuracy of dynamic heart rate monitoring, especially during workouts. The watch pairs the earbuds with your connected device (iOS or Android), and includes a ‘find my earbuds’ feature in case they get misplaced.
Battery life
Although the TWS earbuds are small, their battery life is impressive at a maximum of 4 hours (without ANC) and 3 hours (with ANC) when listening to music. Fortunately, their charging case provides an instant recharge using platinum-plated charging rings on the earbuds and 360° magnets that allow the earbuds to snap into their charging enclosures built inside the watch. The HUAWEI WATCH Buds has an excellent battery life, lasting for three full days, double the Apple Watch Ultra’s battery life of 36 hours. You can switch to low-power mode and extend the battery life to seven days, but it limits the device’s functionality.
Hinge durability
The watch’s hinge is an intricate detail engineered and tested to endure over 100,000 cycles of opening and closing, ensuring years of reliable use. The watch and earbuds are also designed to withstand water, with the earbuds being IPx4 water-resistant (splash) and the watch being IPx7 water-resistant, even with the earbuds securely placed inside.
