Need to Know
16 : 03 : 22

UK – In an innovative departure from noise cancelling technology, Sony’s new LinkBuds aim to integrate noise from the outside world rather than block it out completely.

The unique design of the ear buds forms a ring with an opening that lets in noise from the wearer’s surroundings. Voice pick-up technology, which relies on AI trained by more than 500m voice samples, prioritises voices over ambient street noise. Meanwhile, adaptive volume control allows wearers to adjust the volume depending on outside inputs.

LinkBuds usher in a new frontier of audio technology that discreetly blends online input and the physical environment for a ‘never off’ listening experience. The move invents a new mode of subtle, integrated connectivity for socialising, working, gaming, cycling and beyond.

Following our Connective Audio trend, Sony shows how audio can enhance, rather than shut off, real-world environments.

South Korea – Beauty brand Krave is bringing its signature skincare approach to the world of bodycare. Its latest product, Great Body Relief, is designed to protect the skin barrier, the outermost layer of the epidermis that is vulnerable to irritants, bacteria and pollutants.

The reparative body lotion marks the company’s first product launch after two years, following the brand’s international breakthrough with its hero product, the Great Barrier Relief face serum. After raising awareness about the importance of maintaining a healthy skin barrier, the brand is now applying the same care and protection to the body, a lesser served area. The Great Body Relief prevents breakage in the skin barrier, which can lead to breakouts, irritation, and redness. It also nourishes the skin deeply without leaving any greasy residue.

As the Skintellectual movement gains traction, consumers are waking up to the importance of protecting the body’s skin. No longer an afterthought, Krave is Rethinking Bodycare, taking a more body-centric approach to skincare.

Sake, the historic Japanese drink made from fermented rice, may be losing popularity among the country’s youth. According to a recent study by the Tatenokawa sake brewery, 70% of young Japanese consumers have not drunk sake in over a year.

The research shows how changing consumer attitudes may be damaging the drink’s appeal. Young women, for example, were the least likely to have consumed sake in the previous year, with 74% of women respondents saying they hadn’t. There were also gender differences in drinking habits, with women preferring to drink sake with family or friends, and men preferring to drink the spirit alone.

To appeal to younger generations, sake and other alcohol brands will need to address the drink’s negative stereotypes. Among respondents, young people cited hangovers, cost, health reasons and negative associations with work events as reasons for not drinking sake. The industry could take inspiration from the Modern Mezcal movement, which transformed the historic Mexican drink into a contemporary phenomenon.