While many audio brands are still entering the true wireless headphones market with their first pair, Bang & Olufsen are on the third iteration of its truly wireless Beoplay E8 earbuds.
Just over two years since the originals launched, B&O's Beoplay E8 3rd Generation arrive supposedly as a response to consumer demand for longer battery life, improved call clarity and enhanced comfort.
To that end, the Danish brand has more than doubled the battery life from the second-gen E8s, giving the newcomers an extremely impressive 35-hour battery claim. The buds themselves house a typical seven hours, but the included charging case can charge them to full four times over. The leather case itself can be charged in two hours via the supplied cable, or wirelessly with a Qi charging base.
There's now double the number of microphones, too: four mics work to achieve beamforming technology, essentially allowing your voice to be better picked up during calls. The increased number of microphones also improves Transparency Mode, which lets you briefly listen to your surroundings with a simple tap on the earphone.
To improve fit (especially for smaller ears) and comfort, the size of each earbud has been reduced by 17 per cent, too.
B&O has improved its truly wireless earbuds, then, but it hasn't raised the £300 price – a good, and arguably necessary, thing considering much of the premium competition, some of which additionally boast noise-cancellation technology, is priced more affordably. The class-leading Sony WF1000XM3s can now be picked up for £175, while the ever-popular AirPods models top out at £250.
The company recently reported its third consecutive quarterly loss, the suggestion being that the premium pricing of its headphones and TVs could well be to blame.
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