The market for Bluetooth speakers and earphones has never been more competitive, but that hasn’t stopped musician turned tech entrepreneur Will.i.am from launching his own. Presented as a...
The market for Bluetooth speakers and earphones has never been more competitive, but that hasn’t stopped musician turned tech entrepreneur Will.i.am from launching his own.
Presented as a fashion accessory meets wireless in-ear headphone, the product is called Buttons, and the name suits the simple yet classy design of the device. Each unit is covered on the outside with a quarter-sized circular disc reminiscent of a vinyl record — a design touch the company deliberately made to reference the music business pedigree of its founder.
However, what makes this venture different from Will.i.am’s previous wearable tech outing is that he has pulled in two major celebrities as stakeholders in the venture: model and actress Naomi Campbell and reality-television-star-turned-model Kendall Jenner. In addition to serving as the faces of the Buttons brand, they are also financial partners — meaning they reap the benefits if the product takes off.ithubcenter
“If you care about glasses and you buy glasses to go with your wallet and your wallet to go with your watch, your headphones should be the same,” says Will.i.am, speaking of his decision to involve Jenner and Campbell to reach more style-conscious consumers. “[These aren’t] headphones that you buy and you put in your pocket.”
After meeting with Will.i.am in Tribeca to talk about the launch, I spent a few days with Buttons to see how they performed.
