Surbhi Devnani- evolution of earphones -Shots Rush
I'm Surbhi Devnani and my topic is bluetooth earphones. I use earphones from a company called noise(model name- shots rush) in my daily life.
Given their continued and essential presence in our lives, it's amazing that they are a surprisingly old technology, going back over a century. Early headphones may have been somewhat quaint by today's standard, but the fundamental technology has been around for more than a century now and hasn't actually changed all that much.
Gurugram-based Noise sells earphones, smart wearables and action cameras, and undercuts its competitors by huge margins. Although its products are manufactured in China, like for many other Indian tech startups, Noise stands out for its affordable quality.
Mercadier’s patent for telephone earbuds, U.S. Patent No. 454,138
In 1891, a French engineer named Ernest Mercadier patented what he called a “bi-telephone”. This would prove to be the first recorded version of in-ear headphones.
Light-weight and portable, they closely resemble IEMs we use today. It’s quite a good feat, considering it was around 130 years ago! He even suggested using a rubber cover to protect the ear from friction while using them.
Of course, back in the late 1800s, the use of earbuds or headphones for music listening was far off, and the technology’s application was limited to telephone use.
1890s: The Electrophone
Innovative and ahead of its time, the Electrophone was a subscription service in London. It allowed users to listen to live theatre performances using their telephone line
1999- The first Bluetooth device was revealed in 1999. It was a hands-free mobile headset that earned the "Best of show Technology Award" at COMDEX
2001: The Rise of iPods
The earpods that accompanied this also innovated the industry with their white, sleek, and modern aesthetic.
2004: Bluetooth Revolution
Yes, wireless headphones and earbuds had been around before 2015 (Bluetooth technology had been in use for about 10 years by that point,) but they weren’t entirely wireless. The headphones didn’t have a wire to the audio source, but they did have a wire connecting each earpiece.
That’s why Onkyo, a Japanese manufacturer specializing in audio equipment, surprised everyone as they released the first truly wireless headphones — the Onkyo W800BT.
2017: AirPods
While Onkyo may have released the first truly wireless headphones, it didn’t make a bigger impact than Apple’s AirPods.
Apple changed the game again in 2017 with a major change in the design of their iPhone and earbuds, moving away from their wired earpods. Incredibly lightweight, weighing only 4g each
2022 and beyond
So, what’s next?
Headphone technology has come a long way in the last few decades, and there’s no telling what developments are coming up.
What i think personally is what about going even one step further, and removing the audio source completely? The earbuds or headphones of the future could become an all-in-one device to both store, stream, and play music. And, with the emergence of VR, surround-sound capabilities will become increasingly popular, even outside of gaming.
Again, the future is unknown. But one thing’s for sure: the headphones’ development and innovations aren’t done yet. Over the years, we can expect greater things and additional functions for headphones in our day-to-day lives.
Name: Surbhi Manish Devnani
Roll no. - 22BDC043
Citations
gonoise.com
https:///innovation/headphones-a-history-of-the-original-wearable-tech
https://www.headphonesty.com/2021/05/when-were-headphones-invented/
Given their continued and essential presence in our lives, it's amazing that they are a surprisingly old technology, going back over a century. Early headphones may have been somewhat quaint by today's standard, but the fundamental technology has been around for more than a century now and hasn't actually changed all that much.
Gurugram-based Noise sells earphones, smart wearables and action cameras, and undercuts its competitors by huge margins. Although its products are manufactured in China, like for many other Indian tech startups, Noise stands out for its affordable quality.
Now, looking into the evolution of earphones
1891: The First “Earbuds”
1891: The First “Earbuds”
Mercadier’s patent for telephone earbuds, U.S. Patent No. 454,138
In 1891, a French engineer named Ernest Mercadier patented what he called a “bi-telephone”. This would prove to be the first recorded version of in-ear headphones.
Light-weight and portable, they closely resemble IEMs we use today. It’s quite a good feat, considering it was around 130 years ago! He even suggested using a rubber cover to protect the ear from friction while using them.
Of course, back in the late 1800s, the use of earbuds or headphones for music listening was far off, and the technology’s application was limited to telephone use.
1890s: The Electrophone
Innovative and ahead of its time, the Electrophone was a subscription service in London. It allowed users to listen to live theatre performances using their telephone line
1999- The first Bluetooth device was revealed in 1999. It was a hands-free mobile headset that earned the "Best of show Technology Award" at COMDEX
2001: The Rise of iPods
The earpods that accompanied this also innovated the industry with their white, sleek, and modern aesthetic.
2004: Bluetooth Revolution
While there had been extensive upgrades to headphones over the decades, one thing had pretty much always been consistent: wires connecting them to the audio source. That was about to change with the invention of Bluetooth.
2015: The First Truly Wireless Earbuds
2015: The First Truly Wireless Earbuds
Yes, wireless headphones and earbuds had been around before 2015 (Bluetooth technology had been in use for about 10 years by that point,) but they weren’t entirely wireless. The headphones didn’t have a wire to the audio source, but they did have a wire connecting each earpiece.
That’s why Onkyo, a Japanese manufacturer specializing in audio equipment, surprised everyone as they released the first truly wireless headphones — the Onkyo W800BT.
2017: AirPods
While Onkyo may have released the first truly wireless headphones, it didn’t make a bigger impact than Apple’s AirPods.
Apple changed the game again in 2017 with a major change in the design of their iPhone and earbuds, moving away from their wired earpods. Incredibly lightweight, weighing only 4g each
2022 and beyond
So, what’s next?
Headphone technology has come a long way in the last few decades, and there’s no telling what developments are coming up.
What i think personally is what about going even one step further, and removing the audio source completely? The earbuds or headphones of the future could become an all-in-one device to both store, stream, and play music. And, with the emergence of VR, surround-sound capabilities will become increasingly popular, even outside of gaming.
Again, the future is unknown. But one thing’s for sure: the headphones’ development and innovations aren’t done yet. Over the years, we can expect greater things and additional functions for headphones in our day-to-day lives.
Name: Surbhi Manish Devnani
Roll no. - 22BDC043
Citations
gonoise.com
https:///innovation/headphones-a-history-of-the-original-wearable-tech
https://www.headphonesty.com/2021/05/when-were-headphones-invented/
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