Sony is going green – by releasing a new pair of wireless earbuds in 'Earth Blue'.
Parts of the body and case of the new LinkBuds S Earth Blue are made from recycled water dispenser bottles, which gives the exterior surface of the buds and case a "one-of-a-kind" marble effect reminiscent of Global Hypercolour t-shirts.
The eco-friendly buds – supplied in plastic-free packaging, naturally – are part of Sony's "Road to Zero" plan, which aims to tackle plastic pollution and achieve "zero environmental footprint" by 2050.
The LinkBuds S Earth Blue will cost $199.99 (around £170 / AU$310) when they go on sale in the US at the end of October. The standard model launched at £150 / $180 / AU$300 but prices have started to drop off.
Not a fan of blue, but don't want to risk choking a baby turtle to death? There's no need to feel too guilty about buying the vanilla LinkBuds S: they already make use of recycled materials from the automobile industry.
Sony has also announced that most models in the LinkBuds series, as well as the WF-1000XM4 earbuds, will receive a multipoint connection software update. This will allow users to connect to two devices simultaneously, and thus cut down on the hassle when switching devices.
The addition of Bluetooth multipoint is especially good news for the premium WF-1000XM4, especially when you consider that newer rivals, such as the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, lack this useful feature.
Last but not least, Sony has also unveiled a special pair of Microsoft Teams-certified buds. Based on the original, ring-shaped LinkBuds, the LinkBuds UC for Teams boast extra call controls (such as muting your mic) that can be accessed with a tap, or configured in Sony's Headphones Connect App. They're due on sale in the US in "Winter 2022".
We liked the noise-cancelling LinkBuds S a lot, awarding them four stars for their balanced sound and solid bass. Boosting their eco-credentials can only add to their appeal. Provided you're willing to pay a small premium...
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