Technology is constantly being updated. A computer model may last only 4 years before it is considered outdated. Smartphones we all know last till our 2 year contract. These constant innovations are changing how we live our lives on a daily basis. And I don’t know about you, but I can’t go a day without listening to music. Music is a timeless entity that brings joy and life to our lives. It the heartbeat when trying to get pumped up before a game. It’s the thing that can soothe and relax us during our stressful days. We cannot change that music will forever be in our lives. However, we can change how we can listen to it.
Beat Headphones was founded in 2008 by songwriter and producer Dr. Dre and co-founder Jimmy Lovine. Since then, Beat headphones have taken off. Now with deals in Chrystler, HP, HTC, and Dell, these premium headphones have worked their way into every way we listen to music. Their only competition is Bose. The headphone industry is almost a duopoly, each biting their way to come out with the new best idea. With sound quality being completely equal, it is left to the the interface, design, and style left to be the decision maker to the consumer. Beats by Dre are becoming exceedingly big in younger generations by capturing different colors and using celebrity models to advertise. In order to keep growing, Beats will need something that the already-established Bose don’t.
With technology, we have been able to make better sounding headphones, but we have never changed how we use them. Headphones are still relatively primative in comparision to these voice activating computers or touch-screen smartphones. I suggest that Beat Headphones bring their product to present times. Headphones have been known to only play, pause, or stop music. By giving Beat Headphones an interface, their product would become more user-friendly, convient, and appealing.
Notice in the picture, how the side of the headphone is almost slick and flat. Now, imagine if the slick flat surface became a touchpad. The touchpad would allow users to control their music without ever touching the phone in their pocket. By programming the touchpad to register certain flicks, movements, and touches, Beat Headphones could do so much more. The interface would allow their product to not only control pause, play, and stop, but as well as volume control, song changes, shuffle, repeat, and noise cancelation control.
Now this technology has been out there for years now, but Beats has recently released Beats Radio. Similiar to Pandora, the interface could be specially designed to fit the needs for their app improving compatability. The interface would allow you to change playlists, like, and dislike songs as well.
These changes might be small, but the appeal and change in how we listen to music can be the desicion maker to any teenager and college-student.