Sony is about to make some waves at Mobile World Congress with its first entry into the growing market of truly wireless earbuds. A press render of a device supposedly called the Sony Smart Ear has surfaced online courtesy of prolific leaker Evan Blass.
The self-contained wireless earbud is said to be similar to the Moto Hint, which promised a future of tiny, Bluetooth-enabled smart headsets with built-in assistant functionality. That idea was a bit rough around the edges when the Hint came out in 2014, but perhaps Sony has a more complete vision.
So-called truly wireless earbuds have been garnering quite a bit of attention over the past year — a couple of Kickstarter-backed ideas have led the charge, and CES last month saw the rise of a few more alternatives from more established players. Apple, meanwhile, is rumored to be developing its own Beats-branded pair to sell alongside its headphone jack-less iPhone 7. Going off the name and image, the Smart Ear will likely be more of a headset (for just one ear) rather than a stereo earbud replacement. If this Sony Smart Ear proves to be legitimate, expect to see it on Monday during Sony’s MWC press conference.
