Although they have been around for a long time already, it was the retirement of the 3.5mm headphone jack from smartphones that really caused a surge of interest in wireless headphones and earbuds. There is a wide variety of designs for over-ear cup headphones, most of them naturally focusing on the headphones themselves. The experience of using these accessories, however, doesn’t stop after you’ve taken them off, but most manufacturers seem to make charging headphones an afterthought. This design concept, in contrast, offers a more holistic experience, one that ensures you can continue enjoying your tunes even when your headphones are charging.
Designer: Zeta ID
Although it’s only too easy to lose one or two wireless earbuds, the small objects at least have a proper place to call their home. In contrast, larger wireless headphones have to be hung somewhere if they’re not left lying on a desk, and even then you have to remember to plug them in to charge. And, of course, you’re left with your phone or laptop speakers while its charging, perhaps with a noticeable loss in sound quality.
If earbuds and charging cases always come together, then maybe wireless headphones should also come with a wireless charger out of the box. That’s what the Eko concept tries to bring to the table, almost literally, offering a standard place where you know you’ll always find your headphones. Of course, it also charges while resting, so you can be sure that your personal listening device is always ready by the time you leave.
That stand, however, does more than just charge the headphones. It also functions as a Bluetooth speaker, so you can enjoy high-quality audio even when the headphones are docked. The concept doesn’t exactly say whether it can work independently of the headphones, but that’s often the case with Bluetooth speakers anyway. There can perhaps be a feature that could make it seamlessly switch between the headphones and the speaker as needed.
Eko also has a modern and stylish appearance, one that uses a streamlined band design instead of the usual circular cups. The speaker charging dock is a triangular prism that matches the dark motif of the headphones. One concern about the concept design is the comfort of the headphones themselves, as its speaker don’t seem to go over the ears like most designs and would instead press on it.
