HMD's new wireless earbuds can charge your phone in a pinch

Finnish smartphone maker HMD took to the stage at MWC today to announce a new pair of wireless earbuds called the HMD Amped Buds. The wireless earbuds have a unique design, promise a premium audio experience, and come with a surprisingly nifty feature that other manufacturers should copy.

Instead of a compact charging case like most other wireless earbuds, the HMD Amped Buds feature a sizeable rectangular charging case similar to a wireless battery bank. It houses the earbuds, which feature rather chunky stems and an in-ear design, on either side and features a USB-C port for charging.

Besides its large size, this charging case is unique because it packs a substantial 1,600mAh battery and offers reverse wireless charging support. It magnetically attaches to the back of your phone like other Qi2 battery packs and has enough juice to top up your phone in an emergency.

HMD Amped Buds: Quick Hands-on

The HMD Amped Buds also promise premium features like Active Noise Cancelation (ANC), an equalizer in the Android and iOS apps, and Environmental Noise Cancellation for improved call quality. However, when we tried them at the launch event, they weren’t the most comfortable to wear. Their design hindered a secure fit, resulting in them dislodging with even minor head movements. We also couldn’t get the buds to actually function after pairing to our devices, so we can’t actually speak to their sound quality.

While we would definitely need to spend more time with the buds to form a final verdict, the charging case’s ability to provide emergency smartphone power demonstrates a cool and innovative concept. The earbuds’ seamless integration into the case’s design, where they readily detach and become part of its structure, also demonstrates thoughtful engineering.

Other HMD launches at MWC 2025

Along with the new earbuds, HMD debuted a new lineup of smartphones for teens in partnership with Xplora. The HMD Fusion X1 is the first model in the lineup. It comes with a €4.99 per month subscription to Xplora, which gives parents more control over how their kids access the internet and what apps they use.

The device also includes enhanced location tracking, emergency SOS calling, and remote device access for parents. It features decent specs, including a 108MP primary camera, a 5,000mAh battery, IP54 ingress protection, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The company has yet to reveal all the details, but it has released a customized variant of the phone, which comes with 11 FC Barcelona player signatures and the club’s logo on the back plate, custom wallpapers, and several easter eggs.

Lastly, HMD announced three dumbphones during its keynote. The HMD 130 and 150 Music are feature phones with a retro look, large speakers, long-lasting battery, Bluetooth, and microSD card support. The HMD 2660 Flip, on the other hand, is a retro flip feature phone with a 2.8-inch display.

HMD has not shared the price and availability information for any of the new devices, and we’re still waiting on the complete specifications. We’ll update this post as soon as we have more details.