Microsoft may be looking at premium smart headphones for their next phone

Over the last two years, we have been seeing a surprising market open up of first party premium Bluetooth headphones from companies such as Apple, Samsung and Google. It seems Microsoft may be looking to get into the same game, if a recently published patent application is anything to go by.

The patent for “Audio earphones having an adjustable cable system” describes a novel cabling system which users will be able to shorten or lengthen by sliding pods up and down the length of the cords, as seen in the illustration above.

Microsoft also notes these pods can contain batteries and other electronics, and that the earphones themselves can contain sensors which would pause the music then they are removed from your ear and automatically resume when replaced.

The patent was first applied for in September 2016, and may be part of Microsoft’s foldable phone initiative, with other major OEMs also offering similar smart headphones with their handsets in the last year.

The full patent can be seen here.