Dyson’s air-purifying ANC headphones are really coming to market next year
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Originally announced earlier this year, appliance giant Dyson has officially revealed the full specs for the upcoming Dyson Zone – the company’s first portable air purifier and advanced noise-canceling headphones.
Said to be the product of five years of research, the Dyson Zone combines two unique product offerings for the company in its first foray into audio and wearable technology. And the specs certainly seem to suggest that the company is going to take off with a bang.
According to Dyson, the Zone headphones will feature advanced noise cancellation, enhanced by the presence of 11 built-in microphones, 8 of which monitor external sound at reported rates of up to 384,000 times per second. There’s also the promise of full-spectrum audio that can reproduce frequencies from 6Hz-21kHz and dual microphones that enable clear voice pickup for calls or recordings. The company also promises that there will be minimal harmonic distortions across the entire frequency range thanks to signal processing that takes place 48,000 times per second. In addition, the cans offer up to 50 hours of battery life, depending on usage.
While these impressive specs alone are enough to make the Dyson Zone headphones stand out, the real eye-catcher comes via the Zone’s portable purifier that comes along for the ride.
In case you don’t recall from our coverage earlier this year, the Zone’s air purifier is a detachable visor supposedly capable of removing contaminants as small as 0.1 microns, leveraging Dyson’s decades of expertise in airstream is put on a portable for the first time. Immediately estimated (opens in new tab) 99% of the world’s population lives in cities with air pollution levels higher than those considered safe by the World Health Organization. Portable purification solutions loom as potential game-changers – if consumers can see past the Zone’s bizarre appearance.
The launch prices for the Dyson Zone are very similar to an item ripped straight from a sci-fi movie, but the headphones are expected to go on sale in several regions from early 2023 – starting with China in January, before launching from March in the US, UK, Hong Kong and Singapore. Availability for Australia has not yet been confirmed.
Importantly, Dyson has not suggested that the Zone will be a suitable defense against the potential spread of Covid-19, although it remains to be seen whether future testing of the wearable’s purifying capabilities in this area can bear fruit.
Analysis: Dyson’s portable purifier could be a good one, if you don’t mind the looks
There’s no denying the new value of the Dyson Zone, with the look of the headset being particularly distinctive. How many potential buyers it will have is anyone’s guess, but it’s eye-catching and a conversation starter to say the least. In fact, we weren’t even sure if Dyson would go through with full production and market the Zone, but we’ve been put in our place.
When we were first introduced to the Dyson Zone at an event in the UK, it seemed like the wearable was being pitched more as a portable purifier than a pair of headphones. However, it seems the company is just as keen to make sure it sounds good too – we’ve yet to test its audio prowess, but our curiosity is certainly piqued.
And while portable air purifiers themselves aren’t new, the combination of audio and an air purifier is unique and we’re not sure anyone else would want to keep the tech resources Dyson has at their disposal. Given the increasing frequency of major weather events such as wildfires and storms that throw up a lot of soot or dust, there is certainly potential that this technology could fill a need in the consumer market.
One look at the Dyson Zone’s impressive performance specs, however, gives a glimpse of what the headset could ultimately cost – and chances are it won’t be cheap. Are we really ready for a niche-looking set of wireless headphones with a premium price tag attached? Dyson hopes so, and it’s at least backed up the Zone with the performance specs to make it an interesting consideration.