WiFi earbuds are real and they're coming — but they won't replace your AirPods just yet

I’ve talked at length about WiFi in wireless headphones and earbuds before — and now, finally, it looks like a brave manufacturer has made the technology actually available for purchase.

Chinese phone and accessory maker Xiaomi has just released the new Buds 5 Pro WiFi in Europe, which as you might have guessed, can transmit higher quality audio over a WiFi connection.

Better connection, better music

There are actually two pairs of Buds 5 Pro — the WiFi version, and the non-WiFi version. There are some key differences between the two as well; beyond just the WiFi connection.

For one, the WiFi version costs more. In my native U.K., they cost £189 while the non-WiFi version costs £159. The former also gets more battery life, scoring 10 hours instead of 8.

But it’s obviously that WiFi connection that I’m interested in. And it sounds pretty special. The higher bandwidth of WiFi means these buds should offer true lossless audio through the connection at a much larger range than Bluetooth. As long as you’re on the WiFi network, your connection should stay stable — unlike Bluetooth it won’t matter if you stray too far from your phone.

The higher bandwidth of WiFi means these buds should offer true lossless audio through the connection at a much larger range than Bluetooth.

Until I’ve got them in my ears, it’ll remain to be seen whether their sound is better than the best wireless earbuds we’ve already tested. But even then, there’s a roadblock: You need the new Xiaomi 15 Ultra for it to work.

If you don’t have the £1,300 phone then you’re out of luck — and this also leaves U.S. buyers out in the cold since the phone is unavailable in that region.

So, it’s fair to say that while this new generation of earbud technology is clearly what the future holds, most people won’t be trading in a trusty pair of AirPods for them anytime soon.