An industry pioneer reflects on a decade’s worth of achievements to honour the 10th anniversary of Bluetooth headsets
2001 - Plantronics embarks on new journey with Bluetooth®
In March 2001, Plantronics joins forces with world leader in Bluetooth™ software and networking solutions, WIDCOMM Inc, to create the world’s first all-new lightweight headset featuring Bluetooth wireless technology – the Plantronics M1000 Wireless Headset.
2002 - M1500 and M1000 Headsets go nationwide
Plantronics changes the lives of mobile professionals with the launch of the lightweight M1500 – comprising of an M1000 Bluetooth headset and innovative Bluetooth mobile phone adapter that plugs directly into the headset jack, giving all mobile users Bluetooth headset freedom
2003 - World’s first Bluetooth Headset that lasts all day
Plantronics introduces their Next Generation Bluetooth™ M3000 Headset. Compact and stylish, this new headset features a noise-cancelling microphone that provides superior sound quality as well as intuitive controls that make answering and ending calls effortless whether in the office or on the go.
2004 – Breakthrough sound quality for both outbound & inbound audio
Plantronics unveils their M3500 Bluetooth® headset featuring Audio IQ™ technology and digital signal processing (DSP) that delivers breakthrough sound quality on both inbound and outbound audio. The same year, Plantronics also introduces the feature-rich and stylish M2500 Bluetooth™ headset, which increases talk time up to 5 hours with up to 120 hours of standby time and features new ergonomic SoundGuide earpieces. In addition, the company partners with TDK Systems and Skype in order to launch an industry-leading initiative to enhance the end-user experience for VoIP communications.
2005 – Industry’s broadest ever portfolio of Bluetooth productsPlantronics introduces three innovative new lines of Bluetooth® headsets, including the Explorer, Discovery and Pulsar 590, in addition to the Voyager™ 510S Bluetooth® headset system. Crowned “Best of Innovations” at CES that year, the Voyager 510S enables users to seamlessly switch between two Bluetooth-enabled devices – such as a mobile phone, office phone, laptop, etc – and is practically weightless when worn. The Pulsar 590 was Plantronics first
BT “Stereo” product supporting A2DP/AVRCP profiles a product well before it’s time launched Sept 2005, it is shame iPhones were not around then!
2006 – World’s first VoIP-Optimised Bluetooth headset
Plantronics launches the Voyager 510, the first Bluetooth headset on the market to include both a noise-cancelling microphone and WindSmart® technology, and the Discovery 645, featuring a digital signal processing (DSP) chip to actively reduce background noise when talking. In addition, the company unveils the Plantronics Voyager™ 510-USB, the worlds first Bluetooth® headset solution optimised for VoIP, which provides seamless switching between PC-based softphones and mobile phone calls. The same year, the Plantronics Discovery™ 640 Bluetooth® headset goes head to head against 2,000 products from 37 countries and wins the prestigious Industry Forum (iF) Product Design Award.
2007 – First technology to improve audio for both the caller and listener
Plantronics introduces the new Discovery™ 665 Bluetooth® Headset with AudioIQ®, the industry’s first DSP sound technology to automatically optimise audio levels on both sides of every call — significantly increasing clarity for mobile phone callers, as well as for the listener on the other end of conversations. The company also augments the Voyager Bluetooth headset family with the Voyager 520 and Voyager 855. In addition, Plantronics enters the PC sector with two new wireless headsets for PC users, including the .Audio 990 Bluetooth® Stereo Headset and the.Audio 910 USB, which is the industry’s first PC headset to interact with and control popular internet telephony applications wirelessly from the headset.
2008 – Plantronics headsets hit the runway…and the great outdoors
Plantronics unveils the Voyager™ 855, the industry’s first mono-to-stereo convertible Bluetooth® Headset with AudioIQ® DSP noise reduction technology for MP3 mobile phones, and the lightest stereo headset available to date. The company also takes a fashionable step forward with the Discovery® 925 Bluetooth® Earpiece Collection, a signature line of designer headsets for both men and women, receiving high praise from media, celebrities and consumers, including being named one of Consumer Reports’ coveted “Top 100 Products of 2008” and the overall leader in the “Voice of the Consumer” report conducted by 7B Labs. In addition, Plantronics introduces their first ruggedized Explorer 370 Bluetooth® Headset, which is durability tested to meet IP54 military-grade specifications and the industry’s first headset to combine water, dust and shock resistance with windscreen technology. For PC users, the company launches the new .Audio™ 920 Bluetooth® Headset – which enables users to make and take calls from their PC and mobile phone and switch between the two seamlessly – and the super small and portable .Audio™ 480 headset for laptop multimedia and Internet conversations on the go.
2009 – A new level of high performance audio, style and comfort
Plantronics introduces the highly successful Voyager® PRO Bluetooth® Headset – a high-performance headset featuring AudioIQ2, a unique adjustable dual-microphone boom, minimized wind noise, improved comfort and longer-lasting battery power – and wins the coveted Editors’ Choice Awards from T3 Magazine, Best Bluetooth Headset at the Mobile Choice Awards and the iF Product Design Award. In addition, the company also launches the lightweight Discovery 975 – blending innovative design with noise-cancelling AudioIQ2 technology, wind protection and easy connectivity for premium performance – and receives high praise from the media, including 5 out of 5 stars from What Mobile magazine.
For music lovers, Plantronics and Altec Lansing launch the light and flexible Backbeat 903 wireless headset for stereo Bluetooth mobile phones and the Backbeat 906 headphones to stream music from an iPod® or other digital music player.
2010 and Beyond…
With a rich history that includes providing the headset through which the first words were spoken on the moon, Plantronics has played an important role as a pioneer in development and progression of the Bluetooth Headset industry. Ten years later, the company is still working hard to deliver an unparalleled audio experience that reflects the company’s 50 years of innovation. As the way we live and work continues to evolve along with the increasingly remote workforce, Plantronics remains dedicated to helping people work smarter by developing products that empower them to work effectively across all workspaces – regardless of their location.