Sony LinkBuds TWS Earbuds Innovative 'Open Ring Design', Speak-to-Chat Feature Launched

Sony LinkBuds true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds debuted globally on Tuesday. The new TWS earphones feature an innovative Open Ring Design that is claimed to easily allow users to hear sounds from their surroundings when they want. Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds also get a Wide Area Tap feature that lets users control playback by tapping in front of their ears. Furthermore, the TWS earphones automatically pause music playback — using the Speak-to-Chat feature — when the user starts speaking to someone. Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds are IPX4 rated for sweat and splash resistance.

Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds price

Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds are priced at $179.99 (roughly Rs. 13,500). The Sony wireless earbuds are available to purchase via the official website in the US, Amazon, Best Buy, and other authorised resellers. They are available in Grey and White colour options.

Sony LinkBuds price in India and availability details are yet to be announced.

Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds specifications, features

The Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds feature 12mm open ring drivers with an open central diaphragm for audio transparency. Coupled with Open Ring Design, the earphones let users listen to ambient noises while they are worn. The TWS earphones are claimed to recreate high quality audio using the Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE). They also get Adaptive Volume Control that adjusts playback volume based on a user's surroundings.

Furthermore, Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds get a Wide Area Tap feature where users can control playback by double- or triple-tapping in front of their ears, without touching the earbuds. They also get a Speak-to-Chat feature that automatically pauses music if the user starts speaking to someone. Sony LinkBuds also get Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Siri support. They also feature quick access to Spotify using gestures.

Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds get Bluetooth v5.2 for connectivity and support SBC and AAC audio formats. They can be configured using the Sony Headphones Connect app on Android and iOS. Alongside, they feature Google's Fast Pair to quickly connect to Android devices as well as Swift Pair that lets them connect to Windows devices or tablets. They also get Sony's 360-degrees Reality Audio that is claimed to deliver a surround sound — or spatial audio — experience.

The new TWS earphones from Sony have an IPX4 rating for sweat and splash resistance. Sony LinkBuds have a frequency response range of 20 to 20,000Hz and feature wear detection, which pauses playback when the earbuds are removed from the ears. The wireless earphones claim to deliver a total playback time of 5.5 hours on a single charge and the charging case provides extra 12 hours of battery life. Sony claims that a 10-minute charge — using USB Type-C port — provides up to 90-minutes of battery life. Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds' charging case measures 41.4x48.5x30.9mm and weighs 34 grams. The earbuds weigh 4 grams each.