Will Headphones Be Replaced By Zungle?

So earphones and (more specially) headphones have recently become somewhat of a fashion statement. Skullcandy became a brand to have with its sound quality and just the look and feel of the headphones. From there, many brands started to make their own production line of headphones, and the market started to open.

In 2008, Beats by Dr Dre came out, but it was in September 2013 that the brand was worth 1 billion USD. From there it still kept growing to becoming the ultimate fashion statement must have in the  world of headphones. There were many various shapes and sizes of the headphones and there were also the option on the wired version or the wireless (bluetooth) version. In the essence of fitting in with the latest fashion and technology, the wireless version was the option to go for. Al though the price tag is on the excessive side, that was part of the brand and the fashion statement. Although the sound quality is not of the best (debatable) compared to other leading brands, Beats by Dr Dre went on to be selling an enormous amount of products.

With an industry so well established, what will be able to take the focus from the headphone market to something new and completely different? Zungle might not be dooms day for the headphone market, although it might let you have a less bulky thing (like a pair of headphones) on your head. Instead, you will be able to wear a trendy pair of sunglasses. As per the video, the you don’t get the thumping sound that you get with the headphones or earphones, so for that experience, stick to you headphones for now. As the development of the Zungle progresses, the quality is sure to improve as well. These sunglasses have interchangeable lenses and they have various colour frames as well.

The sunglasses work with bluetooth to communicate with your phone and it works with bone conduction to play music through your head that only you (or the person wearing the sunglasses) can hear. Due to not having pods in your hears of covers over your ear, Zungle will let you hear your music, but not cover you ears. This means you will still be able to hear everything and everyone around you. This is especially safe when riding your bicycle in traffic or driving your car (if your car doesn’t have bluetooth).

Zungle will also let you take phone calls, with a small microphone built into the frame of the sunglasses.

The Zungle sunglasses also has a micro USB port where it can be charged. This means battery life will have to be taken into consideration.

Because the product is still very new to the market (due to it being available on pre-order), it is difficult to say where it will fit into the market, although it will be a more stylish, light weight product to wear.

That being said, when it is raining, cloudy, or night time, it will be less frowned upon to still wear a pair of headphones on your head.

Another point that will still have to be looked at, is the bone conduction that is used to transfer the sound to your head. Is this safe in terms of activity transferred to your skull near the back of you brain? Or is it perfectly harmless? There are still many points to debate regarding this product, so there will surely have to be a followup blog to this. What are your thoughts?