London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Sony launches 'Cheerios-shaped' headphones

Sony launches 'Cheerios-shaped' headphones

Controlling small devices like the LinkBuds can be fiddly, so the Japanese tech giant has invented a new system involving tapping the skin just in front of your ear.

Sony has launched a new line of Cheerios-shaped wireless headphones for people who want to be able to hear the world around them while listening to music or podcasts.

The LinkBuds - available for £149 - have adopted a novel approach to the challenge, something often of concern to runners who fear missing the dreaded cyclist's bell from behind.

Some headphone models like Apple's AirPods have a transparency mode that amplifies ambient sounds. Others, like Shokz, use bone conduction to relay sounds to their wearers through vibrations in their cheeks while leaving their ears uncovered.

But the LinkBuds use a 12mm ring-shaped driver that has an actual hole in the middle, allowing sounds to pass straight through to an unobstructed ear canal.

The ring-shaped speaker allows external sounds to pass through.


"Never off" is the advertising slogan the Japanese technology giant has chosen to run with, due to the LinkBuds 5.5 hour battery life and the ability for people to continue wearing them even while having conversations.

The new devices come in white and dark grey and are partly made from recycled materials, which does give them a noticeable dirty look as if they've picked up dust and fluff.

Sony, which of course pioneered the Walkman back in 1979, has an extensive range of headphones including several that offer complete ear coverage.

Some of those other models might be preferable for committed audiophiles, according to reviews, many of which say the Cheerios-shaped style means the LinkBuds struggle to deliver as much bass as they would like.

Another unusual design feature which Sony has included recognises the challenges of pressing the LinkBuds themselves.

Instead wearers are able to tap just in front of their ears to control them, with the buds able to recognise a series of gestures through the vibrations.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×