Johannesburg, 16 Mar 2016
Plantronics (NYSE: PLT), a pioneer in audio and wearable technology, today announced that the judging panel for the International Forum Design (iF), has chosen the Plantronics BackBeat SENSE wireless headphones as the winner of its prestigious 2016 Product Design award in the audio category.
Plantronics has been honored by the iF multiple times over the past decade for design excellence. Previous BackBeat family product winners have included the Plantronics BackBeat FIT and the Plantronics BackBeat PRO.
The iF Design Awards have been internationally recognized as a hallmark of design excellence for more than 60 years. This year, the high-profile international jury evaluated 5,295 entries from 53 countries to determine who would receive its coveted seal of distinction. Products were evaluated based on innovation, functionality, design quality, material, and ergonomics and environmental compatibility, among other criteria.
"At Plantronics, quality and performance is the core of our brand and it drives everything we do," said Darrin Caddes, Vice President of Corporate Design. "Our mission with the BackBeat SENSE was to express that level of excellence through the composition of form, materials, fit and finish, to deliver a product that not only performs at the highest level in its class, but looks and feels so good that you wouldn't want to go anywhere without it. As designers, we see this recognition from iF as the highest possible praise in our field and we are greatly honored by it."
In addition to this year's iF Award, the Plantronics BackBeat SENSE was also named a 2016 CES Innovation Award Honoree in the headphones product category.
BackBeat SENSE
BackBeat SENSE are smart, wireless headphones with an 18-hour battery life coupled with feather-light design, ensuring all-day comfort with a unique, patent-pending headband designed to fit 99 percent of head sizes. At only 140 grams—about the weight of a smartphone—Backbeat SENSE is approximately 50 percent lighter than most on-ear Bluetooth headphones available today1 and eliminates pressure that can cause fatigue and discomfort to extend wear time.
These on-ear headphones offer signature Plantronics audio performance and smart sensor technology that automatically pauses music when headphones are removed and resumes when replaced. BackBeat SENSE also offers unique OpenMic technology to tune into the outside world without removing the headphones. Wireless Advanced Class 1 Bluetooth® technology connects to two devices from up to 330 feet away—the length of a football field—while the fold-flat memory foam earcups and durable carrying case make BackBeat SENSE an ideal partner on-the-go.
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