We first learned about the Xperia Ear Duo as a concept back in January at CES, and now Sony has officially taken the wraps off the Xperia Ear Duo wireless earbuds. They will begin shipping in May for $279.99 and preorders for the “open ear” headset start today at Amazon.
Sony says that Google Assistant and Siri integration is built in, depending on whether you have the Ear Duo paired to an Android or iOS device. The wireless earbuds feature an open-style concept that can allow external noise to enter the ear allowing the user to still enjoy the tunes being pumped through each bud; here"s how Sony describes the experience:
The Spatial Acoustic Conductor, developed by Sony’s in-house technology incubator Future Lab Program, allows the sound generated behind the ear by the unit ́s driver to be transmitted directly into the ear. The specially designed ring supporter surrounds the ear canal so your music can blend seamlessly with sounds from your environment.
The Xperia Ear Duo earbuds also support gestures in the form of tap controls in addition to head gestures (such as nodding your head to answer an incoming call or shaking your head to decline it.) You can also turn your head left or right to skip tracks or go back. The buds are said to last for four hours on a single charge, and the carrying case provides up to three additional charges. The earbuds will be available in either black or gold when they ship in “late May".
Source: The Verge