Plantronics announces BackBeat FIT Active Lifestyle Headphones at Mobile World Congress

By Brian Nyhuis

BARCELONA, Spain Mobile World Congress Feb. 23, 2014 Plantronics (NYSE: PLT), a pioneer in wearable technology, today announced its latest wireless stereo headphones, BackBeat FIT. Custom-built for use during an active lifestyle, BackBeat FIT combines comfort, fit and stability with Plantronics renowned audio excellence. Connecting to devices wirelessly via Bluetooth, the small, lightweight BackBeat FIT lets users focus on fitness and enjoy their music, providing superior stereo performance and eliminating the distraction of tangled cords. Its unique, flexible design provides a comfortable, secure fit whatever your activity level. BackBeat FIT will be available worldwide starting in April 2014.

More than half of people who exercise make music an essential part of their workout. With BackBeat FIT were ushering in a new way of motivating yourself with music without the distraction of cords, said Greg Miller, senior category manager for stereo with Plantronics. Along with superior sound and the ability to take and make calls, BackBeat FIT incorporates an all-new, incredibly stable and comfortable design along with a host of safety features.

In a recent survey, 40 percent of respondents felt safety features were extremely important while exercising at night. BackBeat FIT provides consumers with bright colors and unique reflective materials on the headband and armband/carrying case to increase visibility and add an element of safety when exercising in the early morning, evening or night hours. Additionally, the eartip has been specially designed to allow exercisers to hear environmental sounds, so they can remain aware of potential hazards in their surroundings.

Features include:

  • Stable, comfortable fit: BackBeat FIT stays in place. Its soft-but-strong, flexible headband and in-ear stabilizers ensure a snug, stable fit that is comfortable, no matter how active the user gets.
  • Durable, sweat-proof design: Designed to handle the hardest workouts, BackBeat FIT has a rugged, sweat-proof design plus extra protection from Plantronics exclusive P2i sweat- and weather-proof nano-coating.
  • Safety first: The bright colors and reflective materials of BackBeat FIT help protect the user day or night, and its unique, safety-oriented eartip design allows the user to be more aware of their surroundings.
  • Two-in-one armband/carrying case: Get moving right out of the box with the included smartphone armband it secures a smartphone and car key during a work out, and reverses to act as a protective carrying case for the headphones when theyre not in use.
  • Small form factor, big battery life: BackBeat FIT packs power for a weeks worth of workouts up to 8 hours of listening time. Plus, it offers DeepSleep, a hibernation mode which keeps the headphones charged and ready to use for up to six months.
  • Superior stereo headphones: Offering powerful speakers and a custom codec, BackBeat FIT delivers musics rich bass and crisp highs to keep you moving.
  • Wireless Bluetooth technology: Enjoy tangle-free music, videos and calls by easily connecting, cord-free, to a smartphone.
  • Hands-off control: BackBeat FIT headphones built-in microphone allows users to take and make occasional phone calls without having to touch their mobile device. Easy-to-access on-ear controls let them control their music with the touch of a finger.
  • Gets better over time: Over-the-air firmware updates, delivered via a smartphone app, make it easy to keep the headphones performing optimally and always have the latest software features, as well as documentation on the product features and functionality.

Pricing and Availability

BackBeat FIT will be available in two vibrant colors, Lime Burst and Electric Blue, at authorized Plantronics retailers, etailers, and carriers in North America, Hong Kong, and Europe starting April 2014. MSRP for BackBeat FIT is $129.99 USD.