CES 2024

Urbanista, the Swedish lifestyle audio brand, today announced that it will demonstrate second-generation versions of its solar-powered wireless headphones and earbuds at CES 2024, which opens next week in Las Vegas.

Instead of having to grab a charging cable and find a power outlet, the updated Los Angeles headphones and Phoenix earbuds use the latest generation of a flexible solar-cell material called Powerfoyle to charge their batteries. Charging is continuous when the small solar panel embedded in the headband of the Los Angeles and in the charging case of the Phoenix is exposed to (artificial) indoor or outdoor light.

The Powerfoyle technology was developed by Exeger, also based in Sweden, and introduced in 2021 in the first generation of Urbanista’s Los Angeles headphones. The original Phoenix earbuds hit the market in December 2022.

Made from recycled plastic, both of the new models have been redesigned from the ground up for improved comfort and fit, and feature adaptive noise cancellation that has been “finely tuned to eradicate distracting sounds,” while preserving clarity, even in noisy environments. Additional second-generation improvements include bigger earcups for the Los Angeles headphones and an improvement in the level of noise suppression (–45 dB) for the Phoenix earbuds.

Rated battery life, when fully charged, is 60 hours for the Los Angeles and 8 hours for the Phoenix plus an additional 32 hours with the charging case. The Phoenix earbuds are water-resistant (IP54) and come with silicone eartips and a charging case that is smaller than the one used for its predecessor.

Offered in black with additional colors promised in the future, both models are compatible with the Urbanista mobile app, which provides customizable EQ settings and tracks charging so listeners can maximize playtime. Other common features include Bluetooth 5.3, on/in-ear detection for automatically pausing (and resuming) playback when the ’phones are removed (or put back in the ear), and Bluetooth multipoint, which enables the ’phones to connect with (and switch between) multiple devices.

Both models are slated to ship in 2024 but Urbanista did not offer a specific time frame. Pricing is $178 for the Los Angeles and $129 for the Phoenix. For more information, visit urbanista.com.