Skip to Header Skip to Main Content Skip to Footer
Sony LOGO
TV & Home Theater
Televisions
All TVs
OLED TVs
LED TVs
Smart TVs
Accessories
About Sony TVs
Home Theater & Soundbars
All Home Theater & Soundbars
Soundbars
AV Receivers
Home Theater Speakers
Accessories
Projectors
All Home Projectors
Accessories
Professional Projectors
Home Video
All Home Video
4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray Disc Players
Blu-ray Disc Players
DVD Players
Accessories
TV Accessories
Projector Accessories
Home Theater & Soundbar Accessories
Imaging
Interchangeable Lens Cameras
All Interchangeable Lens Cameras
Mirrorless Full-frame
Mirrorless APS-C
Cinema Line
Accessories
About Sony Cameras
Lenses
All Lenses
Mirrorless E-Mount
DSLR A-Mount
All Full-Frame Lenses
All APS-C Lenses
Vlog & Compact Cameras
All Vlog & Compact Cameras
Vlog Cameras
Compact Cameras
Accessories
Accessories
All Accessories
Media
Lens Accessories
Power
Flashes, Lights & Microphones
Grips, Tripods & Remotes
Camcorders
All Camcorders
Accessories
Professional Video
Community
Alpha Universe
Sony Cine
Apps & Tools
Services & Apps
Ci Media Cloud
Creators Cloud
Audio
Headphones & Earbuds
All Headphones & Earbuds
Headband
Truly Wireless Earbuds
Open-Ear
In-Ear
About Sony Headphones
Speakers
All Speakers
Portable Speakers
Party Speakers
Home Theater Speakers
Wearable TV Speakers
About Sony Portable Speakers
Soundbars
All Soundbars
A-Series Soundbars
Walkman & Digital Recorders
All Walkman & Digital Recorders
Walkman & MP3 Players
Digital Voice Recorders
Professional Audio
All Professional Audio
Hi-Res Pro Microphones
Professional Headphones
Portable Digital Recorders
UWP-D Wireless Series
Home Audio Components
All Home Audio Components
ES AV Receivers
AV Receivers
Turntables & Audio Components
Signature Series
Car & Marine Audio
All Car & Marine Audio
Mobile ES Series
Receiver & Players
Amplifiers
Speakers & Subwoofers
Boomboxes & Radio
All Boomboxes & Radio
Radios
Clock Radios
Gaming Gear
Gaming Gear
All INZONE
INZONE Monitors
INZONE Headsets
About INZONE Gaming
More
NFL
All NFL
My Orders
Track my Order
Returns
Sony Store credit balance
Register a new Product
Sign in/Register
Sale
Back
Sorry, no matches found for ""
Support
Sony Store Support
PlayStation Support
Electronics Product Support
Back
ENEnglish
×EN

Cart (0 product)


Your cart is currently empty!

Page load successfull

What's Your Story?
Junior Reporters' Takeaways

LinkBuds S: Enabling Seamless Lifestyles and our thoughts for Sustainability

30/06/2023

A marble pattern that's unique in all the world and resembles our beautiful blue planet.

LinkBuds S truly wireless earbuds released last fall come in Earth Blue, among other colors. With recycled material as the core element of fresh new styling, it's a groundbreaking environmental activity that has caught people's attention.

One product planner involved in development was Kenichiro Hombo, now in his fifth year at Sony. Here, he's interviewed by fourth-year Sony employee Katsumasa Kato, in corporate communications. As members of the same generation, they talk about Gen Z values behind this project and new challenges Sony is taking on.
Asking the questions!

Kato Katsumasa

Corporate PR dept., Corporate Communications Div., Sony Corporation

In corporate communications for audio and other Sony products. Outside of work, a fan of comedy and live music when he's not rapping or gaming.

Providing the answers!

Kenichiro Hombo

Personal Entertainment Product Planning Dept., Co-creation Strategy & Development Div., Sony Corporation

Product planner for truly wireless earbuds who can be found at the movie theater, concert hall, or golf range after work.

Having music and media always available is something Generation Z craves

[Kato]
You're a little older than me, Kenichiro, but even though we're in the same age group, you always seem so dynamic at our regular meetings. How did you find yourself in product planning at Sony?

[Hombo]
I've been in product planning working on headphones from the start. It's work I'm glad to do because I've always loved music.

[Kato]
I'm also a regular LinkBuds S user. Looking back on development, you and I are almost too old to be in Generation Z, but you focused closely on our generation's lifestyles.

[Hombo]
That's right. Before development, we surveyed and interviewed young people in cities around the world. The younger you are, it seems, the longer you tend to wear headphones. We also found broad media consumption, which includes videos, music, and social media.

Generation Z tends to want to have music and media available at all times. They want to listen while they're around the house, sometimes lose themselves in immersive content, and do something else in between—moving seamlessly between sounds that are online and offline.

That's why headphones that stay comfortable and can be worn all the time while listening to many things are essential. This was the inspiration behind the LinkBuds series.

A smart device for your ears, switching seamlessly from one listening experience to another

[Kato]
Seamlessly switching between all kinds of content... I certainly do that a lot myself. I'm a gamer, but when I'm leveling up in a game with some tedious parts, I watch videos or do other things on another device.

With the LinkBuds S, I can just switch the connection from my computer to my smartphone without taking the headphones off. When I want to focus on the sound, I can enjoy Hi-Res Audio with noise canceling, and when I want to talk with people around me, I can use ambient sound mode... It just feels great to have such natural connectivity with everything.

[Hombo]
That's exactly how they're designed to be used. They're small and light for a more comfortable fit. Noise canceling and ambient sound mode give you full control over the sounds around you, and Auto Play automatically plays the music you want to hear based on your activities. These are the three key points behind the seamless experiences we envisioned for LinkBuds S.

[Kato]
Speak-to-Chat is also useful because music stops when I start speaking and then automatically resumes after a time. Besides just playing audio, it gives me the impression of being a smart device for my ears.

The simple act of choosing one's possessions wisely can support conservation

[Kato]
And here we have LinkBuds S in Earth Blue, introduced in the fall of 2022.

[Hombo]
Earth Blue is part of efforts toward zero environmental impact by 2050 as pursued in the Road to Zero environmental plan currently underway by Sony. The marble pattern on the headphone body and case is created using post-consumer recycled plastic from water dispenser bottles.

Sony has developed original technology for recycling the large amounts of bottles collected since water dispenser bottles became more popular at home and work.

Today I brought some samples of the materials used. The light pink and blue materials are made from water dispenser bottles.

[Kato]
So when other recycled material, made from things like plastic scrap from factories, is mixed with these, it creates a marble pattern.

[Hombo]
Before it hardens, the material created from water dispenser bottles is quite viscous. Gently mixing it forms the marble pattern. Fine-tuning this mixing method took much trial and error with designers and engineers, and because mixing truly varies a lot from one piece to the next, each owner gets their own pattern, unique in all the world.

Photos taken in Japan upon checking the marble pattern.

[Kato]
I was moved when I first heard about Earth Blue, knowing we'd done something impressive.

At the time, I was involved in sustainability instead of corporate communications at Sony, and we were exploring approaches to conservation. Sustainability is a corporate responsibility, of course, but I also felt that we as employees should support trends that benefit society in some way.

That's why I was delighted when this project took shape—a perfect combination of one-of-a-kind recycled design and donation to a worthy cause.

[Hombo]
We have long consulted with you and your team on how to arrange a way to donate.

[Kato]
We joined you at the meeting with Conservation International*, an international NGO that receives these donations.

As a member of Gen Z, I get the feeling that environmental consciousness has become second nature to my generation. That's why personally I was concerned that if companies take on sustainability, it won't resonate much with a generation that considers this an obvious responsibility.

But how recycled materials are used for Earth Blue was a completely different approach. Instead of feeling obligated to use these materials for the sake of the environment, we can appreciate their fresh appearance and uniqueness. That aspect was easy to admire.

For each set of LinkBuds S earbuds, in Earth Blue and other colors, Sony donates $2 to Conservation International, which works to protect the oceans. How easy it is to contribute to a worthy cause in society through a purchase—that's also something I knew would resonate with our generation.

[Hombo]
Thank you. A key point of Earth Blue was to show that the simple act of choosing one's possessions wisely can support conservation.

It's not a matter of this model being more expensive because of the novel material. We wanted this color option to stand on its own. To me, for both enjoyable lifestyles and sustainability, it seems important to keep offering seamless design as a way to change things for the better without unreasonable effort.

We'd like to continue offering positive options with maximum use of recycled materials. It'll make positive waves for everyone if an appreciation for recycled materials catches on.

Katsumasa's takeaways

Product-enhancing initiatives that support sustainability

People sometimes distinguish between responsibility and contribution in corporate sustainability efforts, and both are important. Because the Earth Blue initiative uses recycled materials to make products appealing in new ways, it seems more like a form of contribution. And because the contribution of this initiative is in line with business needs, I believe it is a true sustainability promotion activity.

Take a moment to consider who it benefits

LinkBuds S seems like a perfect product for me because I switch between listening during other activities and losing myself in immersive listening while browsing for content, and I'm also interested in sustainability. But I know I'm not alone in appreciating the product, and I'm sure many people in my generation share similar values. It couldn't have been designed without focusing on consumer lifestyles, but it made me think that we (myself included) should try to realize exactly who this kind of product development benefits.

Do the trial and error needed to bring ideas to life

Into my fourth year in the workforce, I had a habit of thinking about giving up where I could and doing tasks efficiently instead of sticking with difficult work to see it through. But hearing how Kenichiro and others went through repeated trial and error to introduce a new look in products with recycled materials made me reconsider how I approach my own work.

*Donations to Conservation International apply to products sold in Japan and Europe.

Text: Airi Tanabe  Photography: Kiara Iizuka  Illustration: nachara

[Environment][#Collaboration][#Technology]

Related

Sony's Action!
Workshop for Co-Creating the Future

Sony's Employees Dismantling Each Other's Stereotypes: A Workshop Report from New Employees [Part 2]

Sony's Action!
Workshop for Co-Creating the Future

Sony's Employees Dismantling Each Other's Stereotypes: A Workshop Report from New Employees [Part 1]

What's Your Story?
Junior Reporters' Takeaways

20 Years in the Making: Recycled Plastics Excellent Enough for the Audio Experts

footer

Accessibility
Electronics Newsletter
Influencer & Endorsement Guidelines
Events Code of Conduct
Mission / Vision
PlayStation
Sony Pictures
Sony Music
Sony Professional Website
See Authorized Retailers
Sign in or Create Account
Track my order
Returns / Exchanges
FAQs
Contact Sony Store
Product Support
Electronics Registration
Educational Videos

Offers

Group Discount
Canada
×EN
  • Environment
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Website Accessibility
  • Website Terms
  • Privacy Code
  • Your Privacy ChoicesYour Privacy Choices Opt-Out Icon
Affirm Offer: Rates from 0-36% APR. For example, a $1899.99 purchase might cost $121/mo over 24 months at 0% APR. Payment options through Affirm are subject to an eligibility check and are provided by these lending partners: affirm.com/lenders. Options depend on your purchase amount, and a down payment may be required. See affirm.com/licenses for important info on state licenses and notifications. |Learn more