Latest news with #DysonZone
Stuff.tv
3 days ago
- Stuff.tv
Is Dyson about to launch an electric toothbrush?
Has a gossip email newsletter just leaked details of an upcoming Dyson electric toothbrush? In between its usual banter, the notorious UK-based newsletter Popbitch this week claimed that 'Dyson's soon-to-launch new product [is] a toothbrush'. Now, Dyson products don't often get leaked but patents do emerge from time to time – we saw patent details of the 2023 Dyson Zone back in 2020 (reported by Bloomberg) – and it was originally filed two years before that in 2018. And, hey presto, we have seen patent details of a Dyson toothbrush with a built-in flosser emerge before, reported by Gizmodo back in 2021. Yes, a built-in flosser. But while there's been precious little on the subject since, it wouldn't be a surprise that it's taken so long to come to market. Dyson has a long history of iterating hundreds – if not thousands – of times on its new products and so spending a long time perfecting them. I've seen that first-hand from various prototype parts of other products located at Dyson's UK HQ in Malmsbury, Wiltshire, UK. Not least its most notorious unreleased project, the Dyson electric car, which is parked up beside a cafe. However, Dyson's most confidential products are developed in a mirrored building called D9 – and people like me are very much not allowed in there. In the 2021 electric toothbrush patent filed at the US Patent Office, the product shown was certainly very different from other toothbrushes and probably doesn't reflect the final design of any upcoming product. Because of the tech involved, there was a bulb halfway up the tube reminiscent of a space telescope. The patent described this as a refillable reservoir for 'storing a working fluid' that would be injected into the mouth, presumably during brushing, to presumably clean in the same way a water-based flosser device would. The patent also suggested that the toothbrush could be able to detect when it moves over gaps in the teeth and therefore when it would need to floss, which would be an upgrade on your standard electric toothbrush for sure. And there's even earlier reference to either the same patent or a related one in this Evening Standard article from 2016. So if the Dyson electric toothbrush does launch at some point later in the year, it will most likely have been in development for a decade plus.
CNET
5 days ago
- Business
- CNET
The Premium Dyson Zone Headphones Are Down to a New Low Right Now, but Only for Three Days
While many of us associate Dyson with high-quality vacuums, the company also makes appliances such as the viral Airwrap. Along with that, it also makes some very high-end headphones, but they're generally far more expensive than most people would like. Well, Woot currently has a deal on the Dyson Zone active noise-cancelling headphones that brings them down to $200, which is a massive $500 off the normal price. In fact, it works out to a 71% discount -- but the deal is only on for another three days. If you live in a city or commute often, you'll appreciate the attachable visor that delivers purified air to your nose and mouth without touching your face. Speaking of being on the move, the battery will last up to 50 hours with just audio and noise cancelation, or 4 hours when the air purification feature is active -- perfect for busy days. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. This smart device also lets you monitor air quality and tweak settings using the MyDyson app. At $500 off, this is one of those rare deals that don't come around often. Still, if you think this discount isn't for you, check out our list of the best headphones deals to explore some more options. Why this deal matters Dyson is known for precise engineering, and it shows with this pair of headphones. And a rare 71% discount lets you grab this premium device for way less than half the original price -- but it might not last for long. Quantities on Woot are always pretty limited. So, if you've been looking to upgrade, this is your chance to score the Dyson headphones at a new low price. It's also worth considering that Dyson no longer makes or sells these headphones itself -- so when third-party stock is gone, it's gone for good.
Stuff.tv
07-07-2025
- Stuff.tv
Dyson has discontinued its most controversial product ever – here's what you need to know
The Dyson Zone is one of the weirdest gadgets we've seen. Even though Dyson has now discontinued them, they remain one of the quirkiest bits of tech. So, we're here to (try) and answer your questions about the crazy air-purifying noise-canceling headphones. Why did Dyson discontinue the Zone headphones? In mid-2025, Dyson stopped selling the Zone headphones. They were pulled from third-party retailers, and Dyson's limited stock is all that remains. In an interview with Wired, the tech giant confirmed that no new units would be manufactured… for now. I'm not sure if it's a vague threat or a promise, but Dyson did hint that the air-purifying cans might come back. The brand 'hasn't thrown the tools away' to make them, and insists they were 'ahead of their time.' But ultimately, Dyson realised 'people really care about what it looks like when it's on your head.' I could have told them that. Back in 2022. Was the Dyson Zone real? Yes! The Dyson Zone was very real, despite looking like a device from a dystopian Sci-Fi movie. The company officially announced the air-purifying headphones on 30 March 2022. Despite the unfortunate timing of the announcement, it wasn't an April Fool's joke. We actually headed to Dyson's London offices to take a look at the Zone in-person, and have worn it a couple of times at other Dyson events. Finally, in April-May 2023, we had it in for review – here's our full Dyson Zone review. What did it do? The Dyson Zone is a pair of noise-cancelling headphones with a separate air purifier in each earcup. So there are two mini motors and filters to clean the air it pulls in. Using the removable visor, it then channels this clean air straight to your nose and mouth (it sits separate to your face). Your breathing gets automatically detected, so it always sends the right amount of airflow. How did the Dyson Zone work? In each ear cup, you'll find a mini Dyson motor that uses a 9,750 rpm compressor to draw in air through dual-layer filters. It then projects two streams of the newly purified air to your nose and mouth. This air gets channelled through the visor, designed to stop the purified air being diluted by normal air, and to stop your glasses fogging up. The visor actually sits a few centimetres away from your mouth, so there won't be any skin to Zone contact around your mouth. The Zone can take in a maximum of 150L of air per minute, with the motors maxed out at 9,750rpm. To put this into context, the average person takes in 100L of air per minute when exercising, according to a report in the National Library of Medicine. Of course, output will be lower than input, and the device won't be at full whack all the time. The company claims its electrostatic filters capture 99% of particle pollution, such as dust, pollen, and bacteria. With a carbon filter as well, the Dyson Zone can capture city gases like ozone and sulphur dioxide. They're even IP51 rated, so are rain-resistant. You'll be able to purchase different types of filters depending on your country, but these will need to be updated at least once per year. Dyson's companion app gives you handy reminders once you plug in your location. With the companion app, you'll also see how the Zone is working. It'll give you the sensors' real-time data of air pollution levels, and stats on when it's been working the hardest. It seems the idea here is that you'll be able to see when you actually need to wear the visor and switch it on, so you're not wasting the battery purifying already clean(er) air. As you'd expect, the Zone is quite the battery hog. While the headphones alone last for around 50 hours with noise cancellation switched on, this drops hugely down to 4 hours of combined purification and audio run-time (it can be as little as 1.5 hours if the airflow speed is high). Luckily, they'll juice up to 100% in just 3 hours via USB-C. Plus, the Zone comes with a handy travel case. But what about audio quality? 40mm, 16 ohm, neodymium drivers sit at the heart of the audio system. The frequency range is from 6Hz-21kHz. There's some powerful sound from these drivers, with deep bass notes. The EQ setting has been developed by Dyson internally, but can't be adjusted. However, you can choose from two other modes: Bass Boost (bassy) and Neutral (flatter response curve). There are 11 microphones used in Dyson Zone, eight of which are for advanced noise-cancelling due to the motors used. The ANC system monitors surrounding sounds 384,000 times a second. This sets up the headphones quite nicely for some impressive noise cancellation to counteract the air compressors. Like many other headsets, there are two microphones using beamforming and noise suppression tech to make voice calls clearer Who will buy Dyson Zone? To answer candidly, we're still not entirely sure. Dyson Zone is designed to purify air while you're out and about, coupling it with headphones to keep you entertained. If you're someone that wore a mask to combat pollution pre-pandemic, this might be for you. It'll be more effective than a mask, and with the headphones built-in, you only need to carry around one device. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 9 in 10 people globally breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline pollutant limits. With pollution becoming an increasing concern, maybe the Dyson Zone will appeal to some. But it's hard to see this device taking off mainstream. Perhaps in countries where pollution is more of an everyday concern, Dyson's new gadget will slot in nicely. We'll just have to see! How much does the Dyson Zone cost, and when can I get it on my face? The crazy headphones are now on sale in the US, UK, Ireland, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. The Zone starts from $949/£749. It's available in three colour options – satin silver/ultra blue, ultra blue/Prussian blue and Prussian blue/bright copper.
Stuff.tv
07-07-2025
- Stuff.tv
Dyson Zone: what you need to know about the discontinued crazy air-purifying headphones
The Dyson Zone is one of the weirdest gadgets we've seen. Even though Dyson has now discontinued them, they remain one of the quirkiest bits of tech. So, we're here to (try) and answer your questions about the crazy air-purifying noise-canceling headphones. Why did Dyson discontinue the Zone headphones? In mid-2025, Dyson stopped selling the Zone headphones. They were pulled from third-party retailers, and Dyson's limited stock is all that remains. In an interview with Wired, the tech giant confirmed that no new units would be manufactured… for now. I'm not sure if it's a vague threat or a promise, but Dyson did hint that the air-purifying cans might come back. The brand 'hasn't thrown the tools away' to make them, and insists they were 'ahead of their time.' But ultimately, Dyson realised 'people really care about what it looks like when it's on your head.' I could have told them that. Back in 2022. Was the Dyson Zone real? Yes! The Dyson Zone was very real, despite looking like a device from a dystopian Sci-Fi movie. The company officially announced the air-purifying headphones on 30 March 2022. Despite the unfortunate timing of the announcement, it wasn't an April Fool's joke. We actually headed to Dyson's London offices to take a look at the Zone in-person, and have worn it a couple of times at other Dyson events. Finally, in April-May 2023, we had it in for review – here's our full Dyson Zone review. What did it do? The Dyson Zone is a pair of noise-cancelling headphones with a separate air purifier in each earcup. So there are two mini motors and filters to clean the air it pulls in. Using the removable visor, it then channels this clean air straight to your nose and mouth (it sits separate to your face). Your breathing gets automatically detected, so it always sends the right amount of airflow. How did the Dyson Zone work? In each ear cup, you'll find a mini Dyson motor that uses a 9,750 rpm compressor to draw in air through dual-layer filters. It then projects two streams of the newly purified air to your nose and mouth. This air gets channelled through the visor, designed to stop the purified air being diluted by normal air, and to stop your glasses fogging up. The visor actually sits a few centimetres away from your mouth, so there won't be any skin to Zone contact around your mouth. The Zone can take in a maximum of 150L of air per minute, with the motors maxed out at 9,750rpm. To put this into context, the average person takes in 100L of air per minute when exercising, according to a report in the National Library of Medicine. Of course, output will be lower than input, and the device won't be at full whack all the time. The company claims its electrostatic filters capture 99% of particle pollution, such as dust, pollen, and bacteria. With a carbon filter as well, the Dyson Zone can capture city gases like ozone and sulphur dioxide. They're even IP51 rated, so are rain-resistant. You'll be able to purchase different types of filters depending on your country, but these will need to be updated at least once per year. Dyson's companion app gives you handy reminders once you plug in your location. With the companion app, you'll also see how the Zone is working. It'll give you the sensors' real-time data of air pollution levels, and stats on when it's been working the hardest. It seems the idea here is that you'll be able to see when you actually need to wear the visor and switch it on, so you're not wasting the battery purifying already clean(er) air. As you'd expect, the Zone is quite the battery hog. While the headphones alone last for around 50 hours with noise cancellation switched on, this drops hugely down to 4 hours of combined purification and audio run-time (it can be as little as 1.5 hours if the airflow speed is high). Luckily, they'll juice up to 100% in just 3 hours via USB-C. Plus, the Zone comes with a handy travel case. But what about audio quality? 40mm, 16 ohm, neodymium drivers sit at the heart of the audio system. The frequency range is from 6Hz-21kHz. There's some powerful sound from these drivers, with deep bass notes. The EQ setting has been developed by Dyson internally, but can't be adjusted. However, you can choose from two other modes: Bass Boost (bassy) and Neutral (flatter response curve). There are 11 microphones used in Dyson Zone, eight of which are for advanced noise-cancelling due to the motors used. The ANC system monitors surrounding sounds 384,000 times a second. This sets up the headphones quite nicely for some impressive noise cancellation to counteract the air compressors. Like many other headsets, there are two microphones using beamforming and noise suppression tech to make voice calls clearer Who will buy Dyson Zone? To answer candidly, we're still not entirely sure. Dyson Zone is designed to purify air while you're out and about, coupling it with headphones to keep you entertained. If you're someone that wore a mask to combat pollution pre-pandemic, this might be for you. It'll be more effective than a mask, and with the headphones built-in, you only need to carry around one device. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 9 in 10 people globally breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline pollutant limits. With pollution becoming an increasing concern, maybe the Dyson Zone will appeal to some. But it's hard to see this device taking off mainstream. Perhaps in countries where pollution is more of an everyday concern, Dyson's new gadget will slot in nicely. We'll just have to see! How much does the Dyson Zone cost, and when can I get it on my face? The crazy headphones are now on sale in the US, UK, Ireland, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. The Zone starts from $949/£749. It's available in three colour options – satin silver/ultra blue, ultra blue/Prussian blue and Prussian blue/bright copper.
WIRED
13-06-2025
- Business
- WIRED
Dyson Has Killed Its Bizarre Zone Air-Purifying Headphones
'One of the things we've learned is people really do care about what it looks like when it's on your head.' 'No, this is not an elaborate April fool'. This is how WIRED first reported on the Dyson Zone at the end of March 2022. The Zone was a wild reimagining of an established product type—a big, bulky pair of headphones with an integrated air-purification mechanism that presented rather unfortunately like a high-tech gimp mask. A solution to a problem no consumer seemed willing to acknowledge existed in the first place. Worse was to follow. December 2022: 'Dyson's hellish-looking air-purifying headset will cost $950.' And in May 2023, our review made liberal use of words like 'embarrassing', 'troubling' and 'derision,' and suggested the reviewer felt like 'a Fisher Price Batman villain' while wearing them. 'You can finally buy this bizarre, head-mounted contraption—but for pity's sake, don't'. Zone marked the first time Dyson's chief engineer (and son of James) Jake Dyson had been project lead for a product since he folded Jake Dyson Products into the Dyson portfolio. At the time, he was bullish about the Zone's chances: 'After six years in development, we're excited to deliver pure air and pure audio, anywhere.' Since then, Dyson has gone eerily quiet on promoting the Zone, and now your chances of acquiring a pair are close to nil. In the United States, everyone from SportPursuit to Best Buy is out of stock, and retailers show no sign of doing anything about the situation. At the time of writing, Walmart's website reckons there is one pair left throughout the entirety of the retail giant. In the UK, meanwhile, retailer John Lewis is unequivocal: 'We will not receive more stock of this item'. In fact, it seems the only place where you can still buy the Dyson Zone is at even here, the product is far from front and center. Should you find yourself able to navigate to the relevant page, you'll have to scroll down a long way to get to an image of the headphones with their air-purification muzzle attached. Indeed, 'black sheep' seems a reasonable enough way to describe the Zone's position in the Dyson product family. In an exclusive interview, WIRED sat down with Jake Dyson, who was disarmingly open about the fate of the Zone. So it seemed only right to discuss the Zone's fallout, look at Dyson's altogether more successful (and de facto replacement model) OnTrac headphones, and, considering that Jake's first swing for the company has turned out to be such a high-profile miss, find out Dyson's future plans in the audio world. Jake Dyson at the 2023 London launch of the now discontinued Zone, a project he spearheaded. Courtesy of Dyson '[With the Zone] we thought we could bring something better to the table than what's currently out there," says Jake Dyson. "You get pure delivery of undisturbed air, and join that with headphones because you have to wear it on your head. So combine the two, you make it a more attractive proposition … there's added value. It brings a bit of fun and spirit to the product. And, of course, the visor is detachable—it can be something you wear in your hour of need, and then take it off and you've got an audio headset.' But it is this leap with the air-purifying Zone that many could not quite fathom: 'You've got to wear it, so let's make it headphones.' What made Dyson go there in particular? And, moreover, when it became clear this would be such a hard ask, many brands would rethink things—yet Dyson plowed on anyway. 'I'll be completely honest, quite often we work in an obsessive nature," says Jake. "We want this product. We want to make this thing. Sometimes before actually evaluating what the market response might be. And the market didn't exist. So you've got to take those risks.' Those risks are thrown into stark relief when you consider the market response to Zone. A product that is only two years old, yet you seemingly can't buy it anywhere now apart from on Dyson's site. Has Dyson quietly killed the Zone? 'First thing: Zone was completely ahead of its time," says Jake. "It's solving a problem that is quite niche—the amount of people that are neurotic about air pollution, that want to solve that problem, and are willing to spend an amount of money; coupled with the fact that it's headphones, means your market is small. We have sold thousands. And we still have the tooling—but we've stopped manufacturing it. We haven't thrown the tools away. It's something we believe will come around in the future. It's a brilliant product.' It's worth noting at this point that, outside of Dyson, the Zone isn't universally regarded as being a brilliant product. According to one major retailer in the US, 'most people read it as a gimmick or another Google Glass–type product. For price, aesthetic, and performance, the space already has highly compelling offers from brands established as experts. Why would Dyson want to do 'that' when what it is good at is 'this''? Alan Sircom, editor of globally respected Hi-Fi+ magazine, goes even further. 'The Zone is too odd, in my opinion. Anything that reminds people of wearing masks during Covid is dead in the water. I'd forgotten about it—that's how little market penetration Dyson has [with the Zone].' Dyson, of course, is a privately owned company and consequently not obliged to release any information regarding the success (or otherwise) of the Zone. But Ivan Lam, senior analyst at Counterpoint, doubts anyone can be happy with its performance. Zone prototypes map the internal development of the air-purifying headphones. Courtesy of Dyson 'Zone was the result of six years of modeling and testing, of making maybe dozens of tooling models. Even if you just assume a team of 10 people, working on this project for six years, you're talking about a lot of expense,' Lam says. 'Sound tuning is expensive, prototype testing is very expensive. It's hard to calculate exactly, but I'm sure it will have cost tens of millions of dollars. And the result is a product with no revenue, no profit margin, and no visibility. I haven't seen a single pair being worn in Hong Kong.' And Hong Kong is not the only Asian territory where the anecdotal evidence for Zone is uninspiring, despite the fact that Dyson is a revered brand name in Asia, with huge presence. No major retailer can help you. At the Gain City Megastore, which at 11 stories is Singapore's largest consumer electronics retail store, they're not in stock. At e-Earphone, Japan's largest headphone retailer, they're not available either. Yodobashi is the world's largest chain of electronics stores, but when WIRED visited the Kyoto branch recently the Dyson Zone was conspicuous only by its absence—and this is an electronics store with a 'wireless headphones' department that has a footprint comfortably larger than that of the average Japanese apartment. Dyson launched its OnTrac regular over-ear noise-canceling headphones with no wider innovative/unnecessary/bizarre (reader's choice) functionality in July 2024, just over a year after the Zone. And as a way of entering the market with a product that doesn't actively scare people, and of competing with established brands on a like-for-like basis, it looks like a sensible move. Certainly, our review of the OnTrac discusses the excellent noise-canceling, the nicely balanced sound, and the interesting industrial design. We gave them an 8 out of 10, along with a coveted 'WIRED Recommends' badge—a far cry from the Zone's rating, and quite the turnaround. Jake is justifiably proud of them. Also, the move from Zone to OnTrac shows a definite path despite the poor fortunes of Dyson's first swing at audio. 'We've learned a lot of lessons. It would be stupid not to take things further in audio," says Jake. "Looking at other headphones out there, they all just look the same: black plastic, not very nice forms. Aesthetically, there's something deeply missing in terms of headphones. We thought we could achieve the best noise-canceling out there, and also bring something more interesting in terms of design. Engineer a beautiful product, bring customization, and more of a fashion element.' As OnTrac has clearly sold significantly more than Zone, does Dyson consider Zone to be a product that didn't work, and OnTrac one that did? '[We've sold] ten-fold [more]—and we launched OnTrac last July, although you could say September was when it came to life. It normally takes about six months before people realize there's something there. OnTrac worked. [As for the Zone] we never deem anything to be a failure, because we always learn something.' To affirm this point, Jake Dyson says that OnTrac is not merely the same headphones as Zone but with the fan system removed. 'We've taken the advancement of the noise-canceling and enhanced it even further,' he says. 'We've increased the software capability, so the range of sound, from the treble to the bass, is expanded.' Compared to the polarizing Zone, Dyson's OnTrac headphones have supposedly been a relative success. Courtesy of Dyson If WIRED knows anything about the market for premium wireless over-ear headphones, though, it's that the space is crammed with products from profoundly well-regarded brands—brands that have won their credibility through decades of experience in many areas of the audio market. Dyson, which is starting from a base of just about zero (if you accept that the relative success of OnTrac balances out the catastrophe of Zone), will need to establish a reputation for audio excellence pretty fast if it's going to compete. The impressive and numerous customization options for OnTrac are a start (and more are on the way), but in the area of the market in which Dyson seems determined to compete, thoughtful industrial design is a minimum. Reputations are won and lost in every department: sound quality, obviously, and the standard of active noise-cancellation, ergonomics, extended functionality, and headline technologies are all important, too. It is a sad fact that many brands with greater audio chops than Dyson have floundered. That's not to say Dyson can't make it happen, though. The company will have taken a lot of learning away from its (ultimately fruitless) N526 electric car project—and let's not overlook the fact that Dyson is a brand that usually gets where it intends to go. The company's hits hugely outweigh its misses—and there seems no reason to assume the combination of engineering expertise and sheer persistence that has made James Dyson a billionaire is about to desert the brand any time soon. And perhaps most importantly of all, the whole Zone experience has led Jake Dyson to an extremely important realization—at least when it comes to headphones: 'One of the things we've learned is obviously people really do bloody care about what it looks like when it's on your head.'
