Urbanista, the Swedish lifestyle audio brand, announced on April 16, 2021 the launch of Urbanista Los Angeles — the world’s first self-charging, wireless active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones powered by Powerfoyle™ solar cell material. The $199 headphones claim to be able to convert all forms of light, outdoor and indoor, into energy to deliver virtually infinite playtime. As of today, June 29th they are now available for pre-order.
Not that we don’t believe the kind folks at Urbanista, but we need to try these to make sure the claims are accurate. “Infinite” playtime sounds almost impossible but we’re willing to try.
Just an hour spent outside on a sunny day with Urbanista Los Angeles generates three hours of playtime. Cloudy day? For every hour spent outside, you still get two hours of playtime. The headphones even charge in ambient light – wearing them indoors in a well-lit room or office will keep the headphones charging. When you’re not using Los Angeles, simply leave them by the window for an hour to add another full hour of playtime.*
To deliver this limitless audio experience, Urbanista has teamed up with Exeger, a Swedish innovation company, that has created a groundbreaking solar cell technology. Exeger’s material, Powerfoyle™, converts any form of light into clean energy and can be seamlessly integrated into any design. For the first time, it is now powering headphones, enabling endless energy to music lovers around the world.
Urbanista CEO Anders Andreen comments: “Urbanista Los Angeles is everything we stand for as a brand, in a product. Bringing together innovation, sustainability and all the features you could wish for in a headphone, Urbanista Los Angeles is designed for someone who lives an on the go lifestyle. We are proud to partner with Exeger, and their cutting edge technology, to bring a world first to market.”
Exeger CEO Giovanni Fili says: “This is the start of a revolution in consumer electronics. In close collaboration with Urbanista, we now launch the world’s first self-powered wireless headphone. I strongly believe that once users experience the freedom of endless energy, there’s no way we’re going back to plugging a USB charger into the wall. We are extremely excited about this product and confident that people around the world are going to love it.”
Usability
With Los Angeles, you are always in complete control of your audio experience. Just the press of a button activates advanced hybrid Active Noise Cancelling, instantly reducing unwanted background noise, or switches on Ambient Sound Mode so you can stay aware of important surrounding sounds.
Los Angeles’ wireless design gives you both freedom and control thanks to the on-ear detection feature that pauses the audio when the headphones are removed and restarts it when they are put back in place. Los Angeles is adjustable for an entirely custom fit. The smooth cushioned shells sit securely over the ear, allowing you to comfortably enjoy unlimited listening.
Key Features
- Virtually infinite playtime
- Always charging when exposed to light, both outdoors and indoors
- 50h battery reserve
- Hybrid active noise cancelling
- Ambient sound mode
- On-ear detection
- USB type-C charging
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Siri and Google Assistant
- Compatible with iOS, Android and Windows
Intro Video
June 29, 2021 Update
To allow customers to get the most out of their product experience with Los Angeles, Urbanista will also launch their mobile companion app. The app will provide information on how to maximize the product’s playtime, this also includes visual indications of solar charge levels and usage. Available for both iOS and Android users, the app will also allow the users to customize the headphones controls, and will later become available for other products in the Urbanista range.
Anders Andreen, CEO, commented: “We’re really excited to announce the pre-order of Urbanista Los Angeles. The response to the launch earlier this spring has been nothing short of amazing, it’s obvious that this kind of headphone technology is a welcome shift in the industry. It has also been an important step forward for us to launch our Urbanista mobile companion app. The app will be available when the product ships and will really enhance the innovative features of Los Angeles, making the interaction with the self charging element effortless and engaging. We also have some impressive features in development, which we will look to launch in the near future.”
A New Dawn
Price & Availability
Pre-orders begin June 29, 2021: Inspired by the city in the heart of sunny California, Urbanista Los Angeles will be available for $199 at Amazon in two exclusive colorways, including Midnight Black and Sand Gold.
*Playtime calculations are estimations based on certain lighting, charging and usage conditions and an initially fully charged battery. Estimations for outdoor conditions are based on lux values of at least 30,000 lux, and for indoor conditions on lux values of at least 1,000 lux. Actual conditions and playtime may vary whilst using the product.
Related reading: Best Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
