Andrew O'Hara
We can't count how many truly wireless earbuds we've seen come across our desk, but the latest W1 and AI from Funcl are truly impressive considering their sub $20 and $50 price tags.
Launching on Indiegogo, the Funcl (pronounced like a combination of "fun" and "uncle") W1 and AI are two pairs of truly wireless earbuds that prove how far we've come in the last few years when it comes to the development of wireless headphones.
We tried out both sets, with the W1 being the cheaper of the two, and were very impressed with what was offered in such an affordable package.
Funcl AI and W1 truly wireless earbudsBoth include charging carrying cases and feature automatic connections when removed from the cases.
Funcl W1 truly wireless earbudsThe W1, which came in a white charging snap case, a micro USB cord and a few sizes of silicone ear tips has Bluetooth 5, 4.5 hours of battery in a single use with three additional charges provided by the case (18 hours total runtime), AAC support and touch controls for you music or answering calls.
For 20 bucks, that is solid. Audio quality was more than passable, though of course we aren't comparing these to Bose or Master & Dynamic.
Funcl AI truly wireless earbudsLooking at the "expensive" model, the AI, there are even more benefits such as support for AptX — though Apple users don't get to take advantage of the codec — longer battery life with 6 hours in the buds and three more charges in the case (24 hours total), lower 60ms latency (perfect for gaming), CVC noise cancellation and a virtual assistant. The AI sport a design more akin to the AirPods, sticking down a bit in each ear.
Those low prices come with plenty of trade-offs to consider, but many will overlook them for the price. First thing we noticed was the less than stellar build quality of the cases. They feel fine, but certainly don't have the satisfying snap found with the AirPods. Rather, it feels quite cheap.
They also charge over micro USB rather than the emerging USB-C. One thing we noticed that was just odd is that on the AI model, the earbuds are actually swapped in the case. The right earbud is positioned to the left and the left bud is position to the right. Again not a deal breaker, but an oddity.
Both the W1 and AI are available now on Indiegogo with fulfillment expected to start in December. The W1 will run $99 after the campaign or $19 during. The AI will run $159, or $54 during the campaign. AppleInsider readers, though, can pick up a pair for only $49 if you are one of the first 100.
Remember, this is a crowdfunding campaign and you are helping this product get to market. This means there are some risks involved in backing the product and no guarantee, but as we've got our hands on working production models chances are good you will get what you back.
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19 Comments
I'm a little surprised you didn't compare the sound to the AirPods, though I think I know why -- they probably don't compare too favourably. Also lacking here was any sort of range testing -- yes, BT 5 is great, but without the W1 chip these are likely to also fail that test. The comments on the audio quality are incredibly vague as well; what does "passable" mean to you? Tinny? Muted? Dull? Mediocre? Would like to have heard more about the "virtual assistant" in the more expensive ones, since it is pointedly not Siri. What's the privacy policy on that?
Finally, because the article doesn't mention this anywhere near strongly enough (and buries it at the very end), the real price of these (should they actually come to market) are around the price of most bad earbud-type phones (for the cheaper model) and very close to the price of the almost-certainly vastly-superior AirPods (for the more expensive model). Certainly the temporary (and insane) price cut for backers is attractive -- the sort of thing you might throw their way just for the lulz and if you want to support the makers -- but this sounds like something that will end up in a drawer for most iPhone users, and it's market price is too high for most Android users.
I really don’t like indiegogo, got burn a few times. They offer no protection for the backers.
I rather pay more than lost 100% of the money.
I wonder if Apple will have a problem with them using "W1" since it could be seen as implying the same, seamless connectivity as AirPods and various Beats headphones and therefore be confusing to the customer.