Microsoft has announced its first premium noise-cancelling headphones — Surface headphones. This latest hardware venture from Microsoft aimed at providing — in company’s words — “smart headphone experience, including premium design, expert craftmanship”. What MS is also trying to do here, is create an integrated system of connected hardware devices, all of whom complement each others’ services.
The over-ear wireless Surface Headphones offers premium sound and adjustable noise cancellation. It gives users control over how much outside noise is let in while they are listening to music. To change the level of noise cancellation, users can turn the dial on the left ear cup. A similar dial on the right side adjusts the volume.
Further, the headphones also come with support for “Hey Cortana”, allowing users with hands-free voice commands. Some small, yet utilitarian additions include the ability to automatically pause music when removed from headphones are removed from ears. This is pretty similar to a look-alike functionality on Apple‘s Airpods.
Describing the new headphones, Microsoft says that they slip comfortably over your ears for surround and spectacular sound quality and 13 levels of ambient noise control. It further adds that they are designed with collaboration in mind, and have 2 beam-forming microphones on each ear cup, with 8 microphones in total, for focusing the sound.
Along with the wireless connectivity, the Surface Headphones can also be plugged in through a detachable 3.5mm cable. There’s a USB Type-C for charging the headphones.
The Surface Headphones come in light grey color and are priced at $349. The company says that headphones will start shipping “in time for the holidays”, but only in the United States at launch.
