Elite audio specialist EPOS has announced the top five headset trends for this year, as a growing global market continues to accelerate.   In the next few years EPOS predicts professional headset sales will soar even higher worldwide, inspired by stronger hybrid UC and contact center opportunities, including AI-enabled and wireless technologies.   The headset and speakerphone manufacturer, that boasts a 115-year trading pedigree, says more intuitive adaptive noise cancellation and all-day comfort with less brain fatigue, are some of the latest developments – to maintain professional and discreet dialogue wherever people are working.   Steven Schmidt, VP, Global Commercial Innovation & Marketing at EPOS, says high performance mics and speakers hold the key to effective communication now and in the future, in a corporate arena where more people are returning to the office.   1 - Wired vs Wireless Debate A couple of years ago there was a general feeling most headsets would become wireless. Whilst there are many advantages such as greater freedom, high quality wired headsets remain popular especially where webcams are connected to desk screens, so users can take advantage of plug-and-play functionality. Industry research indicates wired devices account for over half of the general market, but wireless adoption is growing quickly.   2 - Adaptive Noise Cancellation Maintaining productivity and individual focus are the biggest ingredients for success in today’s hybrid world. Shutting people off from distraction is good but with Hybrid ANC they can still hear some background sound, as it’s very important not to block out everything and leave people feeling isolated and trapped from the outside world.   3 - Minimize Distractions With the return to the office in full swing, more people working together inevitably creates more background noise. EPOS research suggests distraction is the number one issue for workers, so it’s important to try and minimize unwanted issues especially in open-plan environments.   4 - All Day Comfort, All Day Performance Using a headset all day every day can lead to discomfort and brain fatigue. EPOS understands both issues and uses high quality materials for exceptional comfort. In addition, its BrainAdapt technology is designed to enhance cognitive performance and improve speech recognition accuracy by as much as 48%, for less mental effort.   5 - A High Quality Headset Inspires Professional, Discreet Conversations From the gym to the morning commute, music as well as calls, audio devices such as ear buds, are now an inherent part of daily life. Bring Your Own Device trends will continue where a single solution that does it all, is becoming the holy grail for many professionals. Quality audio performance counts, to ensure sensitive information is kept safe and not overheard, whether in a café or insurance call center.   “In modern workplaces, professionals are using digital tools and platforms to communicate, share, and co-create with colleagues, clients, and partners, like never before,” Steven emphasized. “A high quality headset is now an essential business tool for millions of people and in the years ahead even more will follow.”   He says industry forecasts suggest the market will grow significantly this year, despite current global economic uncertainties.         “Today’s workforces are reliant on these digital tools and platforms to enable successful communication, including clear calls where both sides of the conversation can be heard. Although video collaboration tools have gained popularity quickly, audio is and will always be the most important tool for successful verbal communication. If you can’t be heard then the communication is over!”   Pioneering He continued: “Every interaction matters more than ever, whether on a video call, standard call or collaborating with a colleague. Customer and staff expectations continue to rise where everyone has to remain as professional as possible.”   In addition, Steven is also keen to emphasise EPOS’s acclaimed BrainAdapt advantage; a group of pioneering technologies based around a philosophy of creating ‘communication tools for humans’.   “Did you know that while we hear with our ears, we listen with our brain? At EPOS we put this principle at the heart of our product design process – an approach we call EPOS BrainAdapt.   “This group of technologies work together to improve cognitive performance, minimising the amount of energy it takes your brain to process sound – leading to better performance and improved communication day-after-day.”   He concluded: “It’s clear in today’s world what matters most is effective communication and being heard crisply and clearly with minimum effort. How important is your message? Users need to hear and respond in a natural way through microphones and speaker across a multitude of different environments.   “Equally important is comfort and lifestyle so users can wear devices, even all day, if necessary without even realising. Often headsets are used on video calls with a camera. They need to be discreet, seamless and stylish. But overall consistent audio will firmly remain the most important part of modern business communication.”   Ends