2015/09/11 Device Benchmark: Stereo Headsets

Bose QC25 Offers High Usability & Comfort, While Beats Solo 2 Wireless Provides Visual Appeal   

Boston, MA – September 10, 2015 – A new user evaluation from the Mobile Device UX group at Strategy Analytics (www.strategyanalytics.com) benchmarking stereo headsets found that after evaluating headsets from Beats, Bose, Jabra, Parrot, Plantronics and Samsung for usability, comfort and fit and visual appeal, participants ranked Beats Solo 2 Wireless and Bose QC25 headsets as their most preferred.

Surveying consumers in the US and the UK, Strategy Analytics found that style, convenience and portability were prioritized for premium headsets, while an ‘over-the-head’ style was preferred for a more compelling and quality listening experience. In terms of feature importance, built-in controls to allow the user to undertake core tasks such as answer/reject phone calls, adjust the volume and skip tracks, without having to access a phone directly, were ranked first. The next most important features included Bluetooth connectivity, sweat/water resistance and noise cancelling technology.

Click here for the report: http://bit.ly/1IOI7qp

Monica Wong, report author and analyst commented, “As headsets can be used for both listening to music and talking on the phone, it is imperative to have controls built into the headphones that allow the user to complete core tasks directly from their headset. Furthermore, Bluetooth features on a stereo headset are also important, as many consumers use their mobile device as their music player and expect to be hands-free. As consumers are always on the go, having a sweat/water resistant feature is another important feature of a headset, making them accident-proof or used during exercise without hesitation.”

Paul Brown, Director, Mobile Device UX, added “The Beats Solo 2 Wireless and Bose QC25 headsets met the consumer’s requirements. Providing a good listening experience, built-in controls to complete core tasks, and with classic, stylish designs that were perceived as easy to wear for long periods of time, these stand-out features pushed both devices to the forefront of the competition.”
Source: Strategy Analytics