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Earphones focused on privacy
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NokkR6 lemmy.world NokkR6@lemmy.world
Joined: 2026-08-13
(edited) Quote

Hey guys! I'm looking for a new earphone and i just discovered that they collect A LOT of data actually. There is any TWS airpod that don't collect a lot of data? How can i have more privacy with airpods?
EDIT: I just realized that airpods are Iphones thing so i just changed to the correct name.

19   Original
schipelblorp sh.itjust.works schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2026-05-16
#2 · Quote Reply

Do you mean generic wireless ear buds? Airpods are only made by Apple.

35
unexposedhazard discuss.tchncs.de unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
Joined: 2023-07-01
#3 · Quote Reply

Im a bit confused. How do you think they collect data? Its just a bluetooth device with no internet connection. Your phone might collect data, but how would your headphones?

29
18107 aussie.zone 18107@aussie.zone
Joined: 2023-07-04
#4 · Quote Reply

Can you provide a source for them collecting data? I've never heard of it happening, and can't see how it's even possible.

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als lemmy.blahaj.zone als@lemmy.blahaj.zone
Joined: 2023-10-25
#5 · Quote Reply

Fairphone make "Fairbuds"

14
SomeoneSomewhere lemmy.nz SomeoneSomewhere@lemmy.nz
Joined: 2023-06-14
#6 · Quote Reply

Im a bit confused. How do you think they collect data? Its just a bluetooth device with no internet connection. Your phone might collect data, but how would your headphones?

Installing a manufacturer-specific app would give them access to a lot of data.

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lenhaas2001 lemmy.dbzer0.com lenhaas2001@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2026-09-16
#7 · Quote Reply

Choose ones with Bluetooth 6

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unexposedhazard discuss.tchncs.de unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
Joined: 2023-07-01
#8 · Quote Reply

Installing a manufacturer-specific app would give them access to a lot of data.

I mean you can just not install that app and they will usually work just fine. You can also install the app once to configure the headphones and then uninstall it again. I have never heard of commercially available wireless headphones with an open source app for them, so either just get ones that dont require an app or do what i mentioned previously. Unless you are willing to reverse engineer the app i guess :D I have moondrop in-ears and those come with a sus chinese app, but you can just configure them once and then you never need the app again.

13
TheAlbatross lemmy.blahaj.zone TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone
Joined: 2023-09-12
#9 · Quote Reply

Fairphone make "Fairbuds"

Maaaaaaaaaaaaan everyone switching to that Apple style "pod with stick" format. The old format looked better imo.

11
quediuspayu lemmy.dbzer0.com quediuspayu@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2025-02-06
#10 · Quote Reply

Bluetooth broadcasts all sorts of device specs to everyone interested

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thisbenzingring lemmy.today thisbenzingring@lemmy.today
Joined: 2025-11-29
#11 · Quote Reply

Maaaaaaaaaaaaan everyone switching to that Apple style "pod with stick" format. The old format looked better imo.

The ones available to the US market are different https://us.fairphone.com/fairbuds

7
NGram piefed.ca NGram@piefed.ca
Joined: 2025-07-14
#12 · Quote Reply

The ones available to the US market are different https://us.fairphone.com/fairbuds

That's the old format (first generation)

7
basiclemmon98 lemmy.dbzer0.com basiclemmon98@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2025-06-22
#13 · Quote Reply

Do you mean generic wireless ear buds? Airpods are only made by Apple.

Updoot. It's pedantic, but idk why everyone started calling non apple earbuds "earpods". Y'all, we didn't have to make apple the default earbud brand too!

(Side note, I don't blame you OP. You are but a symptom of the issue.)

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basiclemmon98 lemmy.dbzer0.com basiclemmon98@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2025-06-22
#14 · (edited) Quote Reply

Maaaaaaaaaaaaan everyone switching to that Apple style "pod with stick" format. The old format looked better imo.

It really did! But if all companies didn't try to replicate the biggest in market, we may have, gasps, product diversity!
WE CANT HAVE DEI PRODUCTS! /s (obviously)

4
scytale piefed.zip scytale@piefed.zip
Joined: 2025-07-16
#15 · Quote Reply

Can you provide a source for them collecting data? I've never heard of it happening, and can't see how it's even possible.

Possibly Apple pushing their AI and integrating airpods with it, so it’s always listening. You’ll probably still be able to disable it by turning of Siri learning from it, but Apple makes it frustratingly hard to turn off their AI features.

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JustPlainDave lemmy.zip JustPlainDave@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-09-09
#16 · Quote Reply

Installing a manufacturer-specific app would give them access to a lot of data.

I've had a bunch of generic earbuds and have never even been offered an app. Which ones did you get?

4
schipelblorp sh.itjust.works schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2026-05-16
#17 · Quote Reply

Updoot. It's pedantic, but idk why everyone started calling non apple earbuds "earpods". Y'all, we didn't have to make apple the default earbud brand too! (Side note, I don't blame you OP. You are but a symptom of the issue.)

Is it pedantic, though? I was honestly confused. If someone was asking "What's an iPhone that doesn't run iOS?" it would be fair to ask clarification.

5
noseatbelt piefed.ca noseatbelt@piefed.ca
Joined: 2025-12-04
#18 · Quote Reply

I mean you can just not install that app and they will usually work just fine. You can also install the app once to configure the headphones and then uninstall it again. I have never heard of commercially available wireless headphones with an open source app for them, so either just get ones that dont require an app or do what i mentioned previously. Unless you are willing to reverse engineer t...

There is an open source app for controlling Anker Soundcore products but it's not made by them and depending on which product you have, it might not support all features.

2
Pika sh.itjust.works Pika@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2023-08-15
#19 · Quote Reply

Is it pedantic, though? I was honestly confused. If someone was asking "What's an iPhone that doesn't run iOS?" it would be fair to ask clarification.

I agree its not pedantic, I'm also pretty sure that Apple owns the trademark for Earpods which means other companies can't legally use the term anyway, so why are we calling it?

2
NokkR6 lemmy.world NokkR6@lemmy.world
Joined: 2026-08-13
#20 · (edited) Quote Reply

Updoot. It's pedantic, but idk why everyone started calling non apple earbuds "earpods". Y'all, we didn't have to make apple the default earbud brand too! (Side note, I don't blame you OP. You are but a symptom of the issue.)

Damn! Thank you! Didn't know that airpods are a Iphone thing. But yeah, its the other ones.

1
unexposedhazard discuss.tchncs.de unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
Joined: 2023-07-01
#21 · Quote Reply

There is an open source app for controlling Anker Soundcore products but it's not made by them and depending on which product you have, it might not support all features.
[deleted]
1
unexposedhazard discuss.tchncs.de unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
Joined: 2023-07-01
#22 · Quote Reply

I've had a bunch of generic earbuds and have never even been offered an app. Which ones did you get?

Lots of wireless in-ears these days have configurable touch controls or even custom onboard parametric EQ. For that kind of stuff you need an app.

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hansolo lemmy.today hansolo@lemmy.today
Joined: 2025-06-07
#23 · Quote Reply

Wired headphones are the only solution here.

4
programmerlexi sh.itjust.works programmerlexi@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2025-08-29
#24 · Quote Reply

Maaaaaaaaaaaaan everyone switching to that Apple style "pod with stick" format. The old format looked better imo.

It has technical advantages, it allows for a better antenna (afaik) and a (slightly) bigger battery.
But aesthetically I don't like the design either.

2
solrize lemmy.ml solrize@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-06-22
#25 · Quote Reply

I managed to find out that TWS stands for "true wireless stereo", meaning two separate buds each with its own battery and radio, that go into a charging case with its own battery. So 3 more batteries to fail in addition to the privacy invasions. Gack.

Tired: TWS. Wired: as it says, wired, as in wired earbuds.

2
Malica lemmy.zip Malica@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-08-27
#26 · Quote Reply

Fairphone make "Fairbuds"

This

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schipelblorp sh.itjust.works schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2026-05-16
#27 · Quote Reply

I agree its not pedantic, I'm also pretty sure that Apple owns the trademark for Earpods which means other companies can't legally use the term anyway, so why are we calling it?

It makes even less sense when Airpods are one of the most expensive buds on a crowded market and they only work on iPhones. It's not a Kleenex situation.

2
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