Yes, these earphones cost more than Apple AirPods Pro.
LG Tone Free HBS-FN7 earphones feature active noise cancellation
LG Tone Free HBS-FN6 and HBS-FN7 true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones with UV sanitisation cases have been launched in India, priced at Rs. 24,990 and Rs. 29,990, respectively. The earphones were launched globally in late 2020, and have come to India a few months later, although with a significant mark-up in the pricing. Both headsets feature UV sanitisation of the earpieces on the charging case, while LG Tone Free HBS-FN7 also have active noise cancellation. LG Tone Free TWS earphones also feature sound tuning, in collaboration with British loudspeaker maker Meridian Audio.
At Rs. 24,990 for LG Tone Free HBS-FN6 and Rs 29,990 for LG Tone Free HBS-FN7, these are among the most expensive mainstream true wireless earphones you can buy in India, and are priced higher than our current top pick in the segment, Apple AirPods Pro. The pricing in India is considerably higher than global pricing for the Tone Free TWS headsets. In the US, the HBS-FN6 are priced at $150 (approximately Rs. 11,000), while the HBS-FN7 are priced at $180 (approximately Rs. 13,200).
Although coming with premium features such as UV sanitisation, Meridian Audio sound tuning, and active noise cancellation (only on LG Tone Free HBS-FN7), the high price in India might be a barrier for many buyers, especially considering that the earphones cost more than competing options from brands such as Apple, Sony, and Sennheiser. The LG Tone Free range is already available on the LG online store, and will go on sale through offline retail and e-commerce portals starting next week.
LG Tone Free HBS-FN6 are the more affordable option of the two headsets launched in India, and comes with a UV sanitisation system for the earpieces in the case. When placed in the charging case, it uses UV light to sanitise the earpieces, and claims to eliminate common germs and bacteria on the ear tips and inner mesh of the earpieces. It's important to point out here that the sanitisation system isn't rated for effectiveness against virus strains such as COVID-19.
The earphones support SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs and are tuned in collaboration with Meridian Audio. The earpieces are IPX4 rated for water resistance, and up to six hours of battery life is promised by the company, with an additional two charges from the case. Wireless and fast wireless charging are also supported for the case.
LG Tone Free HBS-FN7 have similar specifications to the HBS-FN6, but with active noise cancellation as an additional feature. Naturally, this also affects battery life, with the HBS-FN7 having a claimed battery life of up to five hours on the earpieces and two more charges from the charging case, with active noise cancellation in operation. The active noise cancellation feature also means that LG Tone Free HBS-FN7 have three microphones on each earpiece, compared to two on the HBS-FN6. Both headsets use Bluetooth 5 for connectivity and are powered by 6mm dynamic drivers.
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