Intrigued by the upcoming Dyson Zone air-purifying headphones? You'll have to remain patient, because they won't be available in the US for a few more months.
The futuristic device, which marks Dyson's first venture into both audio and wearable technology, will first hit the market in China in January before launching in the US, UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore in March, the company announced today. First announced earlier this year, the Zone was originally slated to go on sale at some point this fall.
In the US, the Zone will initially be available for pre-order "by appointment only," Dyson said. The company expects to start selling the Zone online, and in its Dyson Demo stores "shortly after" US pre-orders begin.
Nobody expected the Zone to be cheap, and they're not. Pricing starts at $949, Dyson announced today. In the US, they will be available in two colorways: the Ultra Blue/Prussian Blue that Dyson previously showed off and a premium Prussian Blue/Bright Copper version. Dyson has also revealed a third colorway, Satin Silver/ Ultra Blue, but that version won't be available in the US.
In the box, you get the headphones, a removable face visor for air purification, an extra set of electrostatic carbon filters, a visor cleaning brush, a USB-C charging cable, and a hard case. The Prussian Blue/Bright Copper variant will come with a premium protective case and additional accessories, including two sets of replacement filters, an in-flight adapter kit, and a soft pouch.
In terms of battery life, Dyson says the Zone's 2,600mAh cell will last up to 50 hours on a charge with audio only. With air purification enabled, battery life drops significantly: to 4 hours on the low airflow setting, 2.5 hours on medium, and 1.5 hours on high.
The Zone features Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and works with MyDyson mobile app (available for Android and iOS). From the app, you can adjust the Zone's airflow speed, noise cancellation mode, and audio equalization mode.
An Air Purifier for Your Face
Dyson has already disrupted the hand dryer, vacuum, indoor air purification, and hair product markets with its unique engineering, and now it's looking to do that again. Its first pair of headphones are different from anything in the market because they have an air purifier for your face attached.
Housed in each ear cup are tiny air filters that promise to remove up to 99% of ultrafine particles down to 0.1 microns, including pollutants like brake dust and industrial emissions. The filters also capture unpleasant odors and harmful gases, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone (O3). Depending on use and air pollution levels, the Zone's filters should last about 12 months before needing to be replaced. The visor, which sits around the lower half of your face without touching it, dispenses purified air directly in front of your mouth and nose.
The Zone looks a bit outlandish, but Dyson might be onto something with this product. Outdoor air pollution is a valid concern, especially for those who live in cities and wildfire-prone areas, so it isn't hard to understand the Zone's value proposition.
During a briefing with reporters, Dyson engineers pointed out that air pollution can build up underground, so the Zone may appeal to subway riders. It may also be useful in rural areas where crop burning can cause short-term but severe air quality problems, they said.
Pre-pandemic, Dyson may have had a harder time getting people to actually wear the thing. But COVID-19 made mask-wearing a lot more commonplace in the US, so seeing someone with the Zone on in public won't seem so out of the ordinary.
Not Without Concerns
Dyson started working on the Zone years before the COVID-19 pandemic, and cautions that it's not intended to protect you from the virus. Since the Zone's face visor doesn't actually touch your skin, you can still potentially breathe in some polluted cross wind while wearing it.
Before even reaching the market, the headset has drawn concern, with one critic warning that it may actually spread COVID-19 "because it uses high-powered fans directed at the wearer's nose & mouth which project exhaled aerosols outward." In a viral Twitter thread, tech influencer Naomi Wu called the Zone a "significant danger to public health" if worn indoors around other people without a sealed mask underneath.
Dyson has gone on record downplaying such concerns. The company says that the Zone's purified airflow is directed at the wearer's face, and too gentle to project germs from the mouth outward. Moreover, purified air from the Zone mixes with your own exhaled air, reducing germ concentration, Dyson says.
There's a lot more to explore about the Dyson Zone, and we're eager to put its air purification and audio performance to the test. We hope to get it in hand (and on the head) at this year's CES, so check back for more details in early January.