Sony Bows Earbuds With Microsoft, Spotify Tech, Alexa, Google Voice Control

Sony introduced $179 LinkBuds, targeting augmented-reality gaming, work-from-home use and quick access to Spotify music, the company said Tuesday. An open ring design lets users tune to the outside world without compromising the listening experience, it said. The tiny earbuds weigh 0.14-ounce, enabled by a space-saving design that integrates the protective surface covering the speaker diaphragm within the housing. Features include Digital Sound Enhancement Engine, adaptive volume control, Alexa or Google Assistant voice control, Sony’s 360 Reality Audio and Spotify Tap, which allows listeners to access music without using phone controls. LinkBuds have Microsoft Soundscape technology, allowing users to hear audio beacons and callouts of buildings or intersections; compass/gyro sensors inside the headphones detect the direction of a user's head and allow them to hear the sound from a destination, without holding a smartphone, Sony said.