Forget the Airpods Max - These solar powered headphones promise "infinite" playback time for the infinite350

Forget the Airpods Max - These solar powered headphones promise "infinite" playback time for the infinite350

Swedish audio specialist Urbanista has introduced its first solar-powered headphones, Urbanista Los Angeles. It can be charged indoors while worn, allowing for "virtually unlimited listening," according to the company.

A release date for Los Angeles has not been announced, but the $199 price tag doesn't sound too expensive, given that it will also feature active noise cancellation (ANC). Many of the best noise-canceling headphones cost $250 or more, especially Apple's AirPods Max, which cost $549.

Los Angeles uses Powerfoil, a solar cell material with a flexible cell design made by Swedish company Exeger. According to the Urbanistas, on a sunny day, it can absorb enough sunlight to cover three hours of playback in one hour. On cloudy days, the same one hour of exposure is expected to recharge the battery for two hours.

Powerfoyle also works with ambient light, so you can charge Los Angeles indoors as long as the room is not particularly dark; Urbanista suggests placing the headphones next to a window for best results.

In addition to ANC, Los Angeles' other features include all the tricks one would expect from modern headphones, including a built-in microphone for voice calls, a carry case, and a USB-C charging port. This could be a useful backup if you're stuck in a place where you can't charge from the sun, like on a night flight.

Los Angeles also features very similar styling to the recent Urbanista Miami. Those ANC headphones were minimalistic and comfortable, but a bit cramped around the head.

It is worth noting that Los Angeles may be the first solar-powered headphones to hit the market, but it is not the first to exist. The JBL Reflect Eternal, featuring Exagger's Powerfoyle technology, was introduced last year, but its release has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No official release date has been set, but it seems likely that Los Angeles will beat Reflect Eternal to the eco-friendly punch.

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