The headphones we’re going to talk about today, may change the way you think about open headphones – it’s the Huawei FreeArc, Huawei’s brand new take on open headphones, that not only breaks through stereotypes in terms of sound quality, but also brings a lot of surprises in terms of the wearing experience. I’ve reviewed many similar products before, but the FreeArc’s performance really surprised me. Next, I will bring you a comprehensive review of these headphones from the design, sound quality, features, and also the actual experience.

Design

As the latest addition to Huawei’s audio lineup, the FreeArc opts for the more revered on-ear design. The main part hangs on the outside of the ear and is secured to the ear by an S-shaped memory alloy. The memory alloy is wrapped in ultra-lightweight liquid silicone, which provides excellent comfort for long periods of wearing. The memory metal also conforms the headphones to the ear over time. Ensure that the headphones can be firmly ‘hooked’ to the ear, they won’t come off even with intense exercise.

The fit is very good, neither pressing on the ear canal like in-ear headphones, nor creating a pinching like ear clip type of headphones. It claims to fit 99% of ear shapes, with our tests, it shows that both users with larger and smaller ears can find a stable wearing angle. I got the Green, it’s a light green color that gives a fresh and quiet look, suitable for users who are looking for individuality. If you want something a little more understated, you can also choose Ceramic White or Obsidian Black.

The FreeArc is also Huawei’s first headphones to support IP57-rated dust and water resistance, meaning they can withstand rain and sweat. So here I put them inside a glass of water for half an hour, after taking them out and drying them off, they still worked fine. However, it should be noted that the charging case is not waterproof, so remember to dry your headphones after exercise before putting them back in the case.

Sound Quality

This time Huawei has included a huge speaker on the FreeArc, they are over 200 square millimeters, that’s even bigger than some cell phone speakers, which enables the headphones to give better low-frequency response as well as dynamic range. But it’s not without any drawbacks, the headphone does get a bit bulkier and heavier. So next, let’s put on the headphones to hear how these performs.

Overall, the FreeArc is very well balanced, with a low-frequency dive that comes close to what you’d hear on some in-ear headphones. The overall performance is more consistent with the frequency response curve we tested. The better low-frequency response makes them suitable for music that requires a strong sense of rhythm and deep bass, such as electronic music, dance music and rock. The mid-range frequencies reproduce vocals and most instruments well, making it suitable for pop, folk, and jazz music, which is dominated by vocals and instruments. High frequency performance is more natural, suitable for listening to music that requires clear high-frequency details, such as classical music and instrumental solos.

Of course, these sound quality reviews are only for the default EQ settings. You also have the option of switching to Voices, to make the headphones accentuate vocals, and make podcast vocals stand out more. Or switch to Treble boost to hear more detail in the high frequencies of classical music. The Elevate allows the headphones to produce a deeper, more powerful and richer low frequency response. Those times when listening to electronic music, dance music, rock while doing workout.

Sound Leakage Test

Open headphones have been basically criticized for sound leakage. But this time, Huawei’s, seems to have solved this problem. They introduced the Reverse Sound Wave system in FreeArc, to minimize sound leakage and enhance the listening experience. This directional sound transmission technology directs audio to the ear canal, while eliminating external sound waves to ensure clear and private listening. So we put this feature to the test. Please put on your headphones and let’s experience how powerful this technology really is.

Through the test, we found that if you listen to ASMR while taking the subway or elevator, and the sound is as loud as the test just now, or even louder, the people next to you is likely to hear the weird “chewing sound” or “whispering sound”. But if you turn the sound down to maybe below 40%, they won’t hear anything. Or if people are 1 meter away, they can hear nothing. But of course, if you are in a noisy metro, you have to turn the volume up, to mask the ambient noise.

Endurance

It claims to support 7 hours of playtime on a single charge, 28 hours with the charging case, and it supports 10w fast charging. We played lossless streaming music in AAC connection mode, with 50% volume setting. After 2 hours of continuous use, it only consumed 33% of the battery. That’s actually about 6 hours of battery life, which is pretty close to the 7 hours claimed. If you really use them until it’s completely dead, in time of making a cup of coffee, the FreeArc will get 2-3 hours of battery life from fast charging. However, the charging case only supports USB-C wired charging, and it’s a slight pity that wireless charging is not included.

Stable connection is always Huawei’s strong point. the FreeArc comes with a self-developed Bluetooth 5.3 chip, that supports multi-device switching for super terminals. For those who have Huawei’s family bucket, the headphones can connect to both cell phones and tablets, and automatically switch the audio source when an incoming call comes in, which is very practical in both office and entertainment scenarios.

This time, there are also some changes in touch operation. Compared to the common double-click, long-press, they also support a slide to adjust the volume. Fingers need to slide precisely along the groove on the outside of the earhook, it takes time to get used to it, but later on you will know that it’s better than physical buttons. Unfortunately, the headphones do not support wear detection, I hope that the a firmware update can enable such feature.

Conclusion

So honestly, the Huawei FreeArc isn’t perfect – it lacks wear detection and there’s still room for improvement in high-frequency resolution. But these do not take the fact away that they are one of the best open headphones available. Huawei has found a good balance between sound quality, wearing comfort, and sports compatibility. So I think the test results answers the question at the beginning.

The post Huawei FreeArc Review: Could change your ideas about open earbuds appeared first on Gizmochina.

Huawei is taking foldables to the next level—literally. The Mate XT Ultimate Design, the world’s first production-ready tri-fold smartphone, is officially launching for global markets. After its China debut last year, the device is now hitting Europe, Malaysia, and beyond, bringing an ultra-thin yet ultra-capable design to users worldwide.

Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design

The Mate XT Ultimate features a tri-fold display that transitions from a 6.4-inch FHD+ screen when folded to a 10.2-inch 3K display when fully expanded. It has an ultra-thin 3.6mm design when open and improved durability with Huawei’s precision hinge system and reinforced ultra-thin glass (UTG) for better resistance to bending stress.

Under the hood, the Mate XT doesn’t skimp on performance. It packs a 90Hz LTPO display, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, running EMUI 14 on Android 14. Its XMAGE camera system includes a 50MP variable aperture main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, a 12MP 5.5x periscope telephoto lens, and an 8MP internal camera. Keeping all this powered is a 5,600mAh silicon-carbon battery, the thinnest of its kind, with 66W wired and 50W wireless fast charging.

The tri-fold phone is priced at €3,499 in Europe.

Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2 (2025)

Huawei is also rolling out the MatePad Pro 13.2 (2025), a high-end tablet featuring a 2.8K 144Hz OLED PaperMatte display with 1000 nits of brightness, and a 94% screen-to-body ratio.

Inside, it houses 12GB RAM and up to 512GB storage, running on HarmonyOS 4.3. The battery is a 10100mAh dual-cell unit, supporting 100W Turbo Charging, enough to hit full charge in just 65 minutes.

The tablet also comes with professional apps like Huawei Notes and GoPaint, enhancing productivity and creativity. It supports the 3rd-gen M-Pencil with ultra-low latency for precise input.

The Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2 (2025) starts at €1,049 in Europe, while the PaperMatte version is priced at €1,199.

Huawei FreeArc

Huawei has entered the open-ear audio market with the FreeArc, its first hooked earbuds. It features a unique C-bridge design, a 0.7mm nickel-titanium memory alloy for a secure fit, and IP57 water resistance, making it ideal for sports and outdoor use.

It comes with ultra-soft liquid silicone for added comfort and equips a 17×12 mm high-sensitivity driver, a dynamic bass algorithm, and an Adaptive Equal-loudness Algorithm for rich audio performance.

Each earbud has a 55mAh battery, while the case holds 510mAh, offering up to 7 hours of music playback (28 with the case). It charges via USB-C, taking around 40 minutes for the earbuds and 60 minutes for the case.

The Huawei FreeArc is priced at £99.99 in the UK and €119 in Europe, with a £25 discount available for pre-orders until March 3 at the Huawei Store.

Huawei Band 10

Huawei has also introduced the Band 10, a lightweight smart band with a 1.47-inch AMOLED display housed in a 15g aluminum alloy frame. It focuses on wellness tracking, offering 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep analysis, HRV tracking, pulse wave arrhythmia detection, and stress management.

The smart band features an Enhanced Sleep Health Assistant for personalized insights and an Emotional Wellbeing Assistant that tracks physiological changes through real-time health data. It also includes interactive panda-themed watch faces that reflect mood shifts and support app customization.

Designed for fitness enthusiasts, it supports 100 sports modes, features 5ATM water resistance, and offers a 14-day battery life with fast charging that provides two days of use in just five minutes.

Pricing details have yet to be announced.

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The post Huawei Mate XT Ultimate goes global alongside MatePad Pro 13.2, FreeArc earbuds & Band 10 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Huawei held its first product launch of 2025 in Japan yesterday, unveiling a range of new devices, including the Watch D2 and FreeBuds Pro 4. But the most interesting reveal was the Huawei FreeArc, a unique take on wireless earbuds.

Unlike traditional in-ear buds, the FreeArc features an open-ear, hook-style design that wraps around your ear for a secure yet comfortable fit. It’s a fresh approach to audio, blending durability, stability, and an open listening experience.

Let’s dive into the details here.

Huawei FreeArc Earbuds Specifications

The FreeArc earbuds sport an open-back design with a distinctive hook-style shape, setting them apart from traditional in-ear options. 

Each bud is built with Ni-Ti shape memory alloy and 35A liquid silicone, materials typically found in aerospace and medical applications. Huawei says this combination makes the earbuds both flexible and skin-friendly. 

They’ve also put durability to the test, claiming the earbuds can withstand over 20,000 bends and retain their shape for up to five years.

The earbuds feature a two-part design, connected by what Huawei calls a C-bridge. The battery sits in the back, while the audio driver—dubbed the “acoustic ball”—rests on the ear. It’s a similar concept to Huawei’s FreeClip but with a new form factor.

Each earbud weighs 8.9 grams, which is on the heavier side, but since the weight is evenly distributed, it shouldn’t be much of an issue in daily use.

The FreeArc comes in Grass Green, White, and Black and packs a 17 x 12mm highly sensitive driver unit for deep bass. Inside, it features a titanium-plated composite diaphragm and a high-performance neodymium magnet to optimize sound clarity. 

Huawei also touts a sound-leak-proof design that helps manage wave transmission, while a dual-microphone system cuts wind noise at speeds up to 4m/s for clearer calls.

For connectivity, Huawei is using a custom antenna layout to ensure a stable link with your phone. Battery life is rated at 28 hours with the case, and a 10-minute charge delivers up to 3 hours of playback. The FreeArc also boasts an IP57 rating for dust and water resistance.

Price and Availability

The Huawei FreeArc is priced at 18,800 yen (approximately USD 124.18 or 904 yuan) and will be released in China and other global markets soon. Specific availability details for different regions are expected to be announced later.

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The post Huawei kicks off 2025 with a unique hook-style earbuds appeared first on Gizmochina.