Sony Wireless Neckband Speaker Drapes Tunes And Calls Around Your Shoulders

There's no lack of Bluetooth speakers these days, but Sony today announced one that ventures firmly into "niche" territory. Today Sony revealed the SRS-NB10, otherwise known as the Wireless Neckband Speaker. As the name suggests, this is a Bluetooth speaker that wraps around the back of your neck and rests on your shoulders, giving you a wireless speaker that goes wherever you do.

In the before times, such a Bluetooth speaker would have been impractical for many people. It can't be used at the office unless you're okay with quickly becoming disliked by your co-workers. It can't be used on public transportation or while running errands largely for the same reason. Now that more and more people are working from home, Sony clearly saw a chance to pounce.

Even without the fear of disturbing masses of people in public, Sony still says that it has designed the SRS-NB10 with "personal sound" in mind. The speakers in the neckband are angled upward toward the user rather than outward, which Sony says allows the speaker to be used for calls and music "without disturbing others in the room." To help minimize echos during voice calls, the SBS-NB10 uses "Precise Voice Pickup Technology" that taps into two Beamforming microphones.

When Sony says that the Wireless Neckband Speaker is meant to be worn all day, it means it too. The company says that the battery in the Wireless Neckband Speaker can last for up to 20 hours on a full charge. USB-C quick charging will also give you an hour of battery life after plugging in the speaker for five minutes. The speaker can also be connected to two different devices at once, so you can listen to music on a personal device and switch to your work phone or laptop when calls come in.

It's an interesting speaker, no doubt, but we're wondering how big of an audience it will ultimately find. Later this year, we'll find out with Sony saying that it will launch in charcoal gray and white in September for $149.99.