When Microsoft announced the Lumia 532 and 435 last month, the company also announced a new accessory; the Comfort Headset. These headsets were designed with two things in mind; providing the best audio quality while also maintaining the maximum level of comfort.
The idea behind the Comfort Headset stemmed from the need for headsets that provided a great music listening experience, similar to in-ear headsets available today, but are more comfortable to the wearer. Microsoft wanted to create something that was also great for business or conference calls where being able to hear one’s voice is of particular importance.
The Comfort Headset does have a certain resemblance to Apple’s EarPods because of its semi-canal form factor, but Microsoft claims that they were designed as a result of a lot of research into the different types of ears people had.
“We worked on the basic thought that people have different types of ears, but there can be a headset that fits most of them well. With our Comfort Headset, people don’t have to worry about their ear size as it fits most ears.” – Mikka Lenhtinen, a Microsoft product program manager
Another crucial decision that Microsoft had to make with the headset is the length of its cable. Cable length can make a difference in how comfortable headphones can be. If the cable is too short, people might not be able to place a phone in their pockets comfortably while wearing the headphones, and if it’s too long, people will have to deal with dangling wires that can accidentally get caught on objects in the environment. Cable length is also essential for those that use FM Radio on their Lumia devices, as the cable needs to be long enough to function as a reliable antenna. Microsoft settled with an optimal length of 120cm.
The materials used for the headset are environmentally friendly and is free of PVC, chlorine, and bromine. The materials used to line the cable has also been chosen precisely so that it is harder for it to form sharp curves resulting in an impossible spider web of tangles.
The Comfort Headset will be available in white, black, and orange sometime in March for an MSRP of €15. While Microsoft hasn’t confirmed this, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Comfort Headset bundled with upcoming Lumia smartphones.
