True wireless earbuds: how do we fix that e-waste problem?

Hello again, fellow readers and fixers! Today, we’ll discuss about a product that has become very popular for listening to music and podcasts. And we call them “true wireless earbuds”.

So what are they, exactly? Well, they are compact earphones that can transmit sound from computers or mobile devices without wires. They use Bluetooth technology to pair themselves with a device such as a phone or a tablet. Once connected, the user can then listen to their favourite music or podcasts.

It’s easy to see why TWS earbuds are so popular among consumers. They are lightweight and easy to carry around. You don’t need to worry about wires that can tangle or break while they are in use. And you can even use them alongside other Bluetooth devices.

So what’s the problem?

The trouble with TWS earbuds is that they are designed and built in ways that make them hard to repair. They often use solder, rivets and/or adhesive to hold key parts in place. And you can only recharge the batteries so many times before they wear out. Whereas with proper care, wired headphones and earphones can last for years.

So why do manufacturers make TWS earbuds hard to repair and maintain in the first place? Why do they encourage consumers to buy new earbuds once the batteries or other parts fail? There are three factors that can influence how easy (or hard) TWS earbuds are to repair. These factors are tech advances, product design and cost.

Tech advances on repairability

Improvements in technology can bring benefits to TWS earbuds, and tech gadgets in general. They can enable integration of otherwise impractical features, such as noise cancelling and touch controls. However, a clear flip side of technology advancement is a renewed emphasis on planned obsolescence. Manufacturers say that you will want to buy a new device every year or two, so why worry about repairability?

Of course, we’ve seen many new developments and improvements of technologies over the years. These would have brought many benefits to us as consumers. We could repair things more easily. Products would last longer before they need fixing. And they would become less harmful to the environment. But mostly, businesses take advantage of those advances to make things cheaper and more profitable instead.

For example, batteries benefited from technological improvements. They can store more energy in the same amount of space. And they can withstand more charge cycles before they quickly lose capacity. This means that consumers would have been able to use their devices for longer before the batteries need recharging or replacing. Instead, manufacturers simply made thinner and lighter products by using smaller batteries.

Product design on repairability

There are various compromises that manufacturers consider when designing and making products. These have an effect on how easy it is to repair or upgrade a device. For TWS earbuds, the design choices result in either a pair that can last a long time. Or of course, a pair that becomes e-waste after a few months.

Some factors of product design that affect repairability are waterproofing, miniaturisation and choices of materials. Where waterproofing is concerned, manufacturers often use adhesive to seal parts of the casing together. Waterproofing with adhesive reduces the risk of liquid damage to the earbuds and charging case. However, it makes it harder to repair or replace the internal parts when they break.

To make earbuds smaller, they tend to integrate touch functions to parts of the casing, instead of using physical buttons. Manufacturers may cram as many components onto the mainboards as possible. They may use solder to secure small wires in place, rather than use connectors. Also, adhesive may be used to secure components such as the mainboard, the driver and the charging coil in place.

The casings on earbuds and charging cases are usually plastic, which is ideal for parts that have complex shapes. Plastic is a lightweight material, which makes them better suited for earbuds than steel. But it is not always possible to recycle it, especially for complex mixed material devices.

Cost on repairability

Cost ties in with product design and incorporation of technology, as manufacturers find ways to keep costs down. For example, some earbuds have plastic rivets as part of the casing to hold components in place, instead of using adhesive. This makes repairs more difficult, since plastic rivets can’t be reused once they are broken.

Cost alone can be a factor against repairing earbuds in the case of the cheapest earbuds found at discount retailers. When these earbuds break, consumers would often buy a new set of earbuds, rather than repair their current set.

So how do we make earbuds easy to repair, then?

Modular and easily repairable earbuds have various challenges to overcome. There are various practical, economical and technological aspects that influence the earbuds market. We already covered several of them, and these can make the market hostile to the concept of easy-to-repair earbuds.

But there’s no reason why we can’t overcome those challenges! And for us, it’s by taking on projects that we can demonstrate ways to make gadgets sustainable. So what’s our take on true wireless earbuds? Next time, we begin exploring how we would tackle practical, technological and economical challenges involved in making earbuds. In the meantime, keep calm and carry on fixing!