One of the fascinating audio segments, truly wireless stereo (TWS) is seeing a lot of competition lately. And it required the presence of a reputed player. Sony India has launched WF-XB700 (Rs 9,990) and WF-SP800N (Rs 18,990), both of which are hassle-free devices for music lovers who are always on the move. The latter is more geared towards sport enthusiasts as the device comes with noise cancellation.

We spoke to Mani B., product manager, personal audio, Sony India, about what makes truly wireless a rocking technology.

Is India becoming a big market for truly wireless earbuds?

The truly wireless trend is getting popularised in India and is one of the most happening segments in the headphones category. Not just in India but around the world, this is something that’s very popular now and is much sought after. The reason is that truly wireless is a minimalist type of a gadget with no wires of course. Also, Internet connectivity is available at a low price in India and we have a thriving OTT sector here. People are consuming more and more of OTT platform while, say, travelling to office. Truly wireless offers convenience. It can be used in any kind of environment.

Some people talk about the fit of truly wireless devices. Your thoughts….

There are traditional wireless options, like overhead and neckbands. People end up wearing them around their necks when not listening to music. Now consider truly wireless, which gives you more flexibility. Listen to music and then put it in a very compact case which can be easily carried around; you can slip it into your pocket. Whenever you want to use it, decide whether you want to use both the buds or one of them. But we have products for all kinds of customers and all their needs.

Mani B., product manager, personal audio, Sony India. The Telegraph

Can we expect spatial sound technology on your truly wireless devices?

With SP800N, it is compatible with 360-degree sound but as of now this part is not available in India. We are expecting content availability for 360-degree audio very soon. A lot of content providers are working on this front. Once the content is there customers can enjoy this sound, which is a Sony-unique technology.

Apple users tend to use AirPods. Does this mean that truly wireless options are just for Android?

It would be difficult to comment now since we have just launched the product. But we feel that it would be appealing for a lot of customers (across platforms). If they compare the options available, our products have a lot of advantages, like battery life. We offer longer battery life than the competition. In way of IP rating we are better. And then there are more features on our products, like Quick Attention.