Sony’s MWC 2016 press conference wasn’t all about phones, it also had this… thing. It’s the Xperia Ear and it goes, well, in your ear.
The idea is an app on your Xperia phone will send helpful voice updates on the weather, notifications, social media updates and the like.
It’s reminiscent of the film Her where Scarlett Johansson’s omnipresent AI witters away in Joaquin Phoenix’s ear, whispering sweet nothings and flirting between bouts of organising his email. Sony didn’t mention flirting, or Scarlett Johansson, but we live in hope.
In all seriousness, this could very well be the future of things, but if our recent experience of AI assistants is anything to go by then the technology has some catching up to do.
Calling the Xperia Ear an AI assistant rather than a Bluetooth headset, which is what it is, makes it sound more interesting. But, you never know, it might just be a really good one.
Bluetooth headset man will be excited, are you?
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
