Credit: Sony
Sony has revealed that they'll be bringing their unique Xperia Ear Duo open-ear wireless headphones to Australia later this month.
“The Xperia Ear Duo is the result of combining what we’ve learned from our extensive history within the audio and acoustics space, along with growing consumer interest in wearable technology,” said John Featherstone, Managing Director, Sony Mobile Oceania.
“Ear Duo is the first wireless headset to deliver a breakthrough Dual Listening experience – the ability to enjoy your music, receive your notifications all whilst being able to hear what’s going on in the world around you.”
First shown off at this year's Mobile World Congress, the Xperia Ear Duo uses offers up a 'dual listening' experience that allows you to seamlessly listen to music and receive notifications without interfereing with your ability to hear environmental sounds or conversations.
The new headphones rely on a new Spatial Acoustic Conductor developed by Sony’s in-house technology incubator program. This allows the sound generated behind the ear by the unit’s driver to be transmitted directly into the ear. A specially designed ring supporter surrounds the ear canal so your music can blend seamlessly with sounds from your environment.
According to Sony, the volume intelligently adjusts based on your surroundings and background noise, with the company's Clear Phase audio technology eliminating sound dispersion for crystal clear listening.
There's also a smart assistant element to the product. When configured, the Xperia Ear Duo are able to integrate with both Siri and Google Assistant to feed you regular updates.
Sony say that "the Daily Assist feature will recognise time, location and activities to offer relevant information throughout the day - reminding you what time your next meeting is when you reach the office or narrating the latest news headlines."
When worn, users are able to modify the volume settings and pause or skip audio by using either voice controls (powered by your assistant of choice) or the touch-based tap-and-swipe controls on the earbuds themselves. The earphones also support gesture controls for situations where voice commands aren't ideal. Once configured, you'll be able to answer or refuse calls by shaking your head and change songs by tilting it.
In terms of battery life, the Xperia Ear Duo earphones last for four hours per charge and come with a charger-case that contains an additional three charges - bringing the total to sixteen hours of use.
The Xperia Ear Duo will be available through JB Hi-Fi and Sony retail stores from the 28th of May at an RRP of $399. The UCH12W fast charger accessory can also be purchased from Sony for $49.
