WITH the rapid development of 5G and AI technologies, the era of the Internet of Thing (IoT) is accelerating. According to the Huawei GCI Report 2025, the number of digital devices per capita in the world will increase from two in 2015 to 25 in 2025. That type of rapid growth begs the question: How will consumers make natural and smooth interactions between their increasing number of digital devices? The answer, of course, lies in instant automatic speech recognition.

As the most convenient and private touch point of interactive voice responses, headphones will become an indispensable part of consumers’ lives. Stable connection and seamless switching between multiple devices as well as high-quality audio have become an inevitable trend in the development of the wireless audio industry.

Due to increasing user demand for high-end audio products in the era of full-scenario AI life, Huawei released at IFA 2019 the FreeBuds 3, its flagship True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds that are powered by its first self-developed wearable chip Kirin A1. The Kirin A1 supports both TWS headsets and wearables with Lite OS to solve the industry’s pain points on chips and end-to-end systems while providing consumers with a high-end audio experience across all scenarios. Since its launch, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 3 has won 11 awards at IFA 2019.

The world’s first open-fit active noise cancellation TWS earbuds

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 3 is the first audio flagship product to feature Huawei’s proprietary chip, Kirin A1. Instead of merely inheriting the concepts of true wireless (that is, freedom from the first two generations of products), the HUAWEI FreeBuds 3 come with genuinely new innovations and technologies developed by Huawei, offering powerful performance for the best audio experience.

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 3 features Kirin A1, which has an efficient chip architecture, and Huawei isochronous dual channel technology to provide an overall enhanced experience, including better anti-interference, lower latency while in game, more stable connection, and a smooth and stable call experience anytime, anywhere. Huawei designed the noise-cancelling technology based on users’ behavior in different scenarios, including active noise-cancelling in an open-fit earphone design, allowing users to enjoy a clear and comfortable music experience, even in a noisy environment.

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 3 has a unique open-fit design, allowing users to have a comfortable and carefree wearing experience, suitable for multiple scenarios. The HUAWEI FreeBuds 3 is the world’s first open-fit active noise cancelling Bluetooth earphones comfortable to wear in any scenario.

Huawei’s first self-developed wearable chip Kirin A1

The Kirin A1 chip is the industry’s first BT/BLE dual-mode chip to be certified by the Bluetooth 5.1 standard. It has a highly integrated 3+1 modular architecture — an advanced Bluetooth processing unit, powerful audio processing unit, and ultra-low power consumption app processor and a separate power management unit — ensuring an efficient and stable connection experience.

Huawei’s self-developed, dual-channel synchronous transmission technology enables the left and right earphones to directly receive signals from the mobile phone end, avoiding interference between the two headphones.

Thanks to this technology, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 3 earbuds significantly reduce audio latency during gaming to 190ms (according to data from Huawei Labs), keeping game sounds and pictures synchronized.

Based on Huawei’s new-generation Bluetooth channel selection algorithm taken from the intelligent frequency-hopping technology in the communication field, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 3 can dynamically identify the frequency band affected by Wi-Fi and hop to an undisturbed channel, quickly adapting to environmental changes, in order to achieve higher anti-interference ability and bring a smooth audio experience even in complex environments such as airports and shopping malls.

At the same time, the Kirin A1 has a powerful audio processing DSP that supports the real-time recognition of noise and ambient sound, creating a high-quality phone call and music experience. Through the accurate 3A noise reduction algorithm, the buds effectively weaken ambient noise, letting wearers hear more clearly. The enhanced speech recognition algorithm allows users to activate the device with their own voice, easily access the AI assistant and achieve fingerless operation.

Connecting the future

These innovations make the HUAWEI Freebuds 3 one of the most compelling earphone propositions on the market today and certainly the world’s first true wireless stereo earphone with ANC in an open-fit design. The open-design element is important as many users report a preference for this style when using earphones for a prolonged period of use.

Audio technology has come a long way in a relatively short space of time, and the pace of innovation is unlikely to slow down given consumer appetite for new ways to enjoy content on the move. The HUAWEI Freebuds 3 is the pinnacle of Huawei’s audio technology and its flagship audio product. With a stated mission to dream the impossible and then go and create it, Huawei will continue to play a leadership role in this sector, helping consumers to work smarter and enjoy their leisure time with more immersive and seamless experiences. Technological innovations like ANC play an important role in this vision by helping to protect hearing, improving voice calls for mobile working and delivering better audio experiences.

The full-scenario AI life strategy of Huawei’s consumer business has also taken on the vision of connection. Huawei’s carrier business is responsible for the connection of the main pipeline through the optical fiber, 5G and millimeter wave, and the consumer business offers connection to every corner of the user’s life through a variety of terminal products.

Guided by the full-scenario AI life strategy, Huawei’s consumer business has integrated chip, OS and terminal products end-to-end through continuous technological innovation, creating a high-quality, 24-hour audio experience for consumers.