The Short Version
Anker announced the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max at $229, featuring its own Thus AI chip that runs transcription and noise cancellation locally across 10 sensors and 8 microphones.
Anker built its own AI chip, called Thus, and put it inside a $229 pair of earbuds that run voice transcription, noise cancellation, and biometric ID entirely on the device, no phone required. Ten sensors and eight microphones do the work locally, which is something Apple and Meta have not shipped yet. The one honest catch: the biometric authentication only works standing still, which is a strange limitation for something you wear while moving.