These wireless earbuds look exactly like Apple's AirPods - but they cost a fraction of the price and work with any smartphone

Chinese startup Mobvoi has unveiled a new pair of wireless earbuds that look just like Apple's AirPods, but cost $100 less, and work with both iOS and Android.

Called TicPods Free, the fully wireless buds launched Tuesday on Indiegogo for $60 to start. Apple AirPods cost $160.

TicPods Free work with iOS and Android devices, are compatible with smart assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, and have touch controls on the outsides to skip a song or answer a call.

TicPods Free are the first set of wireless earbuds from Mobvoi, the six-year-old Beijing-based startup that's backed by Sequoia, Volkswagen, and GV, formerly Google Ventures. Mobvoi also makes other gadgets, including a smart speaker called TicHome Mini and Ticwatch, a line of minimalist smartwatches.

But TicPods Free could quite possibly be a worthy alternative to AirPods. Here's how they work: