LG's latest true wireless earbuds have everything it takes to outshine the AirPods Pro
The greatest smartphone vendor that is sadly no longer with us remains very much committed to the thriving true wireless earbuds market it entered less than a couple of years ago, taking the wraps off not one and not two but three new AirPods alternatives today.
Technically, the LG Tone Free FP8 are not entirely new, having already made a slightly lower-key European debut earlier this month before expanding to other "key markets." Unfortunately, the FP8 and the all-new FP5 and FP9 models still lack an official pricing structure and clear US release timeline.
Wireless charging or Plug & Wireless? You can't have both
Based on how much they're supposed to cost on the old continent and the US MSRP of the previous-gen LG Tone Free FN7, we expect the FP8 to circle the $200 mark stateside while the FP9 could be even pricier, just as that model number suggests.
Interestingly, the FP8 is the only member of the trio equipped with wireless charging technology, while the FP9 offsets that omission with Plug & Wireless functionality enabling the (wired) charging case to double as a wireless dongle and thus let you pair the earbuds to devices like the Nintendo Switch gaming console.
Both the FP8 and FP9 are capable of taking on the best true wireless earbuds available today in terms of battery life, keeping your tunes going for up to 10 hours on a single charge and bumping that endurance score up to 24 hours when also considering their bundled cases.
Of course, the quirky auto-cleaning feature is still the Tone Free family's main claim to fame, and impressively, both the FP8 and FP9 can fight bacteria and thus reduce your risk of inner ear infections with little effort and absolutely no trouble on the wearer's part.
Even more impressively, state-of-the-art active noise cancellation is a common trait for the FP9, FP8, and the lower-end FP5, the latter version of which lacks both wireless charging and UVnano cleaning functionality while also downgrading the battery life to "only" up to 22 hours.
Who wants to be the earbuds whisperer?
The LG Tone Free FP5 make no compromises on audio quality and design, mind you, sharing their "advanced Meridian-tuned sound", 3D Sound Stage, Headphone Spatial Processing, Arc Design, and IPX4 water resistance with both the FP8 and FP9.
In other words, all three of these latest additions to LG's already expansive lineup of AirPods and AirPods Pro rivals promise to deliver top-notch sound, as well as the "perfect balance and fit for an active lifestyle", and last but certainly not least, something called Whispering Mode that does, well, just that.
Namely, you can now whisper in your right earbud during calls knowing that your voice will be heard loud and clear without disturbing the people around you in, say, a very quiet library or crowded subway.
Basically, said earbud will turn into a dedicated microphone whenever the situation calls for perfect voice clarity and/or complete privacy, which obviously wouldn't be possible without each earbud featuring three top-shelf microphones.
Coated in Charcoal Black and Pearl White, the FP5 may not end up being quite as affordable as you'd wish due to sharing so many cool and unmatched features with the FP8 and FP9, which are set to be made available soon in a third swanky Haze Gold color too.
But if LG gets the price points right, we could be looking at not one and not two but three different contenders for the title of 2021's best wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation.
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