Manufacturing news · December 2025
Fairphone refreshes its modular, user-repairable Fairbuds XL headphones
Fairphone unveiled a second-generation Fairbuds XL, with European availability from 9 December.
The over-ear headphones remain among the most repairable on the market: users can replace the battery, ear cups, headband, ear pads and other parts with a single screwdriver, and a replacement battery costs only about €20. The update adds new paper drivers, breathable mesh padding, an auto-off function, a longer warranty and more recycled and fair-mined materials, while keeping backwards compatibility with existing spare parts.
By designing consumer audio hardware for disassembly and parts replacement rather than disposal, Fairphone illustrates how modular design can extend lifespans and reduce e-waste in a category usually built to be unrepairable.