Huawei has unveiled a new line of in-ear wireless headphones called the FreeBuds Neo. These headphones are designed to be lighter and more durable than previous models, with improved noise-canceling features. Priced at 129 euros, the FreeBuds Neo are aimed at the mainstream market and will be available in France starting September 17. Each earbud weighs just 4.8 grams and includes a short touch stem for easy control. The headphones come in four colors: silver, pink, white, and black. The FreeBuds Neo support Bluetooth 6.0, allowing them to connect to two devices at once. They also feature active noise reduction (ANC), which Huawei claims can reduce background noise by up to 30 decibels (dB), slightly better than the 28 dB achieved by the older FreeBuds 7i. To enhance voice clarity during calls, the headphones use three microphones and a bone conduction sensor. Inside each earbud is an 11 mm dynamic driver that supports the LDAC audio codec, which can transmit data at up to 990 kbit/s. On compatible Huawei phones, this can be boosted to 2.3 Mbit/s using a proprietary technology, though other devices will be limited to LDAC if they support it. The headphones also offer spatial audio with head movement tracking, available through the Huawei Audio Connect app, which works on both iOS and Android devices. Huawei claims up to 10 hours of playback without ANC and 6 hours and 30 minutes with ANC enabled. When using the charging case, the total battery life is estimated at 40 hours without ANC and 24 hours with it. However, these numbers are based on using the AAC audio codec. When using high-definition codecs like LDAC, the battery life drops to 9 hours per charge and 33 hours with the case. The FreeBuds Neo appear to offer stronger specifications than previous models like the FreeBuds SE 4 ANC and FreeBuds 7i. While the FreeBuds 6 use an open format and the Pro 5 model focuses on high-end audio with two drivers, the Neo is positioned as a mid-range offering. It will face competition from other brands like Sony’s WF-C710N, OnePlus Buds 4, and Nothing Ear (3a). Within Huawei’s own product line, the FreeBuds 7i may be the most direct competitor, though they are often found at a lower price than their official listing.