These wireless earbuds boast incredible battery life – but will their unusual controls actually work?

wireless earbuds
(Image credit: Mobvoi)

Wearables brand Mobvoi has announced its latest wireless earbuds following a successful crowdfunding campaign – and they come with a mindblowing 60-hour battery life.

The Mobvoi Earbuds Gesture boast 10 hours of battery life from the buds themselves, with a further 50 hours provided by their 600mA charging case, making them among the longest-lasting true wireless earbuds on the market. 

The new earbuds also come with Mobvoi’s TicMotion technology, which allows you to accept incoming calls by nodding your head, and reject them by shaking your head. We first saw this feature with the TicPods 2 Pro at CES 2020, however, we found that in practice, the technology rarely worked as it was supposed to, with the buds often failing to register our head movements. 

Hopefully Mobvoi has refined the technology for 2021 –  if not, the earbuds also feature touch controls, so you can control your music playback, incoming calls, and your device’s voice assistant by tapping their outer housings.

What about the sound?

For what it’s worth, voice calls should sound pretty clear, thanks to built-in mics that help the buds to apply noise isolation to your voice. Plus, an IPX5 water-resistance rating means they should be suitable for use while working out.

As for the audio? We’re left guessing somewhat, but we do know that the Mobvoi Earbuds Gesture come with 6mm dynamic drivers inside.

You’ll be able to buy the new wireless earbuds for $89.99 / £79.99 via Amazon and the Mobvoi website. Global pricing is still to be confirmed, but that works out at roughly AU$115. 

That’s cheaper than many true wireless earbuds on the market, and if the Mobvoi Earbuds Gesture can provide decent sound alongside that impressive battery life, they could be a compelling alternative to the likes of the Apple AirPods as well as budget-friendly models like the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1.

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Olivia Tambini

Olivia was previously TechRadar's Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she's a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She's previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR.