Why do it in hardware when you can do in software without re-engineering the buttons? Hardware engineering is trickier, so there's fewer options.

Xbox Elite controller has full button remapping for example. Won't cover every platform, but it'll do a fair few.

I like its monochrome buttons to save the need for visually remapping. Same with the Switch, where they need to be, since joycons can be held in several orientations.

It's worth updating headphone firmware, short of a couple issues with Bose a few years back I've very rarely seen an OTA make an audio product worse.

Anker/Soundcore is a particularly interesting one in that regard because the high-bandwidth LDAC codec is gated behind a small OTA update for all Soundcore products with LDAC support. So you need to install an update to use a feature advertised on the box.

My theory is, Anker negotiated with Sony to only pay full LDAC licensing fees for products LDAC is actually enabled on, and in doing so avoided paying the full whack for their iOS userbase who can't use LDAC at all.

Even if you install the app, configure the controls, OTA update, enable LDAC or multipoint or etc. you can then uninstall the app once you have the configuration you like. Or disable network access again.

You're right to be cautious of gadget apps, they're data sponges. Samsung holds the title for worst - if you dare to use Galaxy Buds on another brand of Android smartphone, you need to give the companion app access to read your notifications before you can update the firmware.

Shokz is pretty much the only brand worth your time in bone conduction.

Their flagship model OpenRun Pro 2 is very good kit.

They're very different to true wireless buds though, check out a demo unit if you can, especially to get the right size and see if the temple pressure works for you.

Sounds like something's wrong.

Liberty 4 should be capable of 7hrs playback per charge with ANC on, or 5hrs talk time.

If you're only getting 2hrs music playback and firmware is up to date, factory reset first and if no joy after that, RMA.

Which earbuds did you get?

Early true wireless earbuds (circa 2017) had rubbish battery life + connection issues, they've improved massively in recent years with new chipsets.

Unless yours are old or really cheap, they should last for 6-10hrs of music playback per charge assuming they don't have active noise cancellation.

True wireless buds are a pretty mature product now, its nine years since the first gen AirPods came out. You can even get ultra-cheap ones that don't suck if you know what to look out for.

I miss headphone jacks too. Thankfully USB dongle DACs also got really good.