Don’t call them “earphones” anymore.

Thinking that earphones today are only for listening to music and making phone calls is like thinking that a smartphone is only useful for telling the house it’s time to put the pasta in the oven and for sending New Year’s greetings.

Evolution has made them smaller, it’s true, it has freed them from the cumbersome cord (much to the nostalgia trend that calls for a return to the cable and its tangles in your bag), but above all it has freed them from their function as simple audio accessories, transforming them into smart devices capable of filtering noise, improving calls, translating, recording, and synthesizing information.

This is the direction in which the earphone market is moving, according to Faraz Mehdi, managing director for the UK, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Portugal at Anker Innovations.

The company, originally founded in the charging world and now also active in audio, smart home, security, and entertainment, views Europe as a fragmented but mature market, where users demand useful, compatible technologies that aren’t tied to a single ecosystem.

With the new Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max, Anker brings artificial intelligence directly to wearables, focusing on call clarity, productivity, and everyday AI use. The simultaneous translation feature, once you get the hang of it (and it only takes a few minutes), can be a game-changer while traveling or during business meetings.

This evolution, however, also raises questions about privacy, consent, and voice data management, especially within the European regulatory framework.

What is Anker’s true identity today: consumer electronics, smart technology company, or personal ecosystem platform?

Today, Anker Innovations is much more than a consumer electronics company. We see ourselves as an ecosystem of smart technologies built around people’s everyday needs: energy, audio, security, smart living, and entertainment. Our mission is “igniting possibilities through cutting-edge innovation,” while our vision is “building a playground where makers inspire other makers.” This reflects our ambition not only to continually fuel a spirit of innovation and creation within our organization, but to inspire it in the broader ecosystem of partners, creators, developers, and consumers who interact with our brands. The common thread across all our brands is making advanced technology more useful, accessible, and reliable, helping consumers simplify their daily tasks, stay connected, and focus on what really matters. In this sense, Anker is not simply a collection of product categories, but an ecosystem designed to empower modern lifestyles through meaningful innovation.

You lead very different markets. What differences do you see between these countries in the way consumers adopt smart devices and AI-based technologies?

Adoption is uneven in Europe. The United Kingdom and Ireland tend to embrace new smart and AI-based solutions very quickly. Spain and Portugal are highly receptive when technology clearly improves lifestyle and convenience. Italy is a very attractive market because consumers are demanding: they value design, practicality, and tangible real-life benefits, not innovation for its own sake.

Italy is described as an urban, noisy, social, and highly mobile market, with professionals always connected between trains, airports, coworking spaces, and congested cities. Is this the profile of the new European consumer Anker is targeting?

Yes, Italy reflects many characteristics of the new European consumer: mobile, connected, multitasking, and often working in different environments. Trains, airports, coworking spaces, and crowded cities create a real need for technologies that help people communicate better, stay focused, and move seamlessly throughout the day. At the same time, Italians have a unique characteristic: they place a genuine value on quality of life. Family, friends, personal relationships, good food, and overall well-being remain at the center of their daily lives. That’s why technology shouldn’t simply add new features, but help people save time, reduce friction, and simplify daily tasks. Ultimately, the most valuable innovations are those that give people more time and energy to focus on what really matters.