Engadget Logo The possibility of Japanese hardware startups that the representatives of the Japanese version of the Japanese version of "BONX" and "Ambie" talk

The latest models of "Bonx", where you can enjoy unlimited group calls with your own smartphone app and Bluetooth earphones, and "Ambie", a new sense of earphone that allows you to enjoy music without closing your ears.。

Bonx is a company launched from 0, Ambie is a company that spin -off from Sony, but both are hardware startups, and they can enjoy music and communication without closing their ears.。Therefore, Takahiro Miyasaka, the founder of Bonx and CEO, and Ryota Mihara, CEO of Ambie, talked about the process of development and the current situation of manufacturing.

■ "BONX" that made a leap from snowboarder for communication at work.

Regarding Bonx's development background, Miyasaka says, "I started with my own needs to communicate with my friends while snowboarding."

"I have a smartphone per person, and most of the snowy mountains contain 4G, but I can't communicate because I can't use my smartphone during the run.Then, I thought that if you create a new product that can communicate in such a place, it will be expanded outside of the snowy mountains "(Mr. Miyasaka).

Looking at the world, transceivers are still used not only outdoors such as construction sites, but also for home appliances retailers, boutiques, and hotels.

"Snowy mountains cannot be used, radio waves are unstable, and the sound of the wind is noisy, so I thought that if you make something that can be used in such a tough environment, you will be able to use it anywhere."

This is the first model "BONX GRIP".Originally, it was developing software that realizes a large number of communication using smartphones and Bluetooth earphones.However, it is necessary to update firmware to make it possible to use gloves or assign a favorite function to the button."We have developed both software and hardware," (Miyasaka).

In December 2016, "Bonx GRIP" was released, and in March 2021, a casual model "Bonx MINI", which is easier to wear and installed, was released.

In addition, the CCC is currently recruiting the latest model "Bonx Boost" with the crowdfunding service "GREEN FUNDING".

The "Bonx Boost" page of GREEN FUNDING is developing an early 20 % of 30 % OFF, which is 20800 yen, and the project period is until September 5.As of August 13, the total support was 16,363,300 yen.

"BONX BOOST" is attached to the left ear and has a painful ear, so that it can be attached to the right ear, so that the burden on the ears can be reduced.The gravity sensor has been devised so that the button operation can be performed in the same way, both of the left and right.

Regarding the development of BONX BOOST's development, Mr. Miyasaka said, "Although Bonx Grip has noise resistance, there are many places that can not be picked up, such as civil engineering construction sites and stores with considerable noise." talk.

Not only is the body resistant to noise and the operability of the button has improved, but the major difference is in the "optional parts".

"Equipment that can be expanded with optional parts, such as ear hooks that can be firmly fixed to the ears, extension microphones that can collect neat sound at the mouth even in pachinko parlors and noise environments under the elevated, and intensive charging stations that can charge multiple BONX BOOSTs.I can use it on all sites "(Mr. Miyasaka)

■ "Ambie" that can listen to music to color your life as an environmental sound

Ambie was a Sony employee, invented and developed a business as a JV (joint venture), invented by Mihara, a Sony employee.

"While considering the theme of the hiers, we have created a unique" How to reach the ears with the direction of the sound ". Bend the aluminum pipe that had fallen into the trash can and bend it.When I inserted it in the earphones, I found that I could hear the sound more properly than the bone conduction. Then, I just bent the aluminum pipe and tested it, and it was Ambie that was completed. "(Mihara).

Although it is a technically unique product, a large number of prototypes are required to reduce new technologies into things.

"I did a unreasonable development method, such as pouring silicon into a mold made with a 3D printer and making parts. Now, if you make a single prototype mold, I will prototype by the evening and attach it to someone. Have a new mold output to the next morning based on the feedback to create another prototype .... In short, make one mold a day and narrow down the initial verification to the point where you can test user tests. is.

I think Ambie is the first year for ear cuff type earphones, but by testing so far, I was able to increase the perfection as a product from the beginning. "(Mr. Mihara).

Mihara developed Ambie because of changes in how to treat users to music.

"Recently, you can listen to music with your smartphone anywhere. For the playlists of trendy streaming services, music for the purpose of" what you want to do "and" want to be ", such as" Party "and" Relax ".It's the order of being there.

I thought it would be a new form to use music as an environment to make my life itself a content and to make it 120 % and enjoy it.So Ambie can hear the sound alone, but for some reason it can't be heard, and the surrounding sounds can be heard.I made a device in the direction of making the cost of paying for music from users to zero "(Mr. Mihara)

Mihara said, "If the cable is attached, the restrictions as earphones remain when talking to people," said Mihara, as the first machine in 2017.talk.As the second unit, in 2018, the neck band type "Ambie Wireless Earcuffs" was released and hit, but it became noticeable when it was worn, so it was "psychological resistance to talking to people with it.There was "(Mihara).

Under these circumstances, even if you continue to wear it, the "Ambie EARCUFFS AM-TW01", which is a completely wireless type that does not make you feel uncomfortable by the people around you, have appeared (released in summer 2021).

"The appearance of wearing it when worn and talking to people, and the design as an accessory that makes you want to wear it has been completed.

While hearing the sounds around the life, the stress of blocking the ears was reduced to zero, and the stress that could not be heard without hesitation due to sound leakage was made.I forgot the existence of the device, and I think that I had a device that caught up with the concept that my music would flow only for myself. "(Mihara).

Related links: AMBIE products list

■ Differentiation and positioning are important within the Red Ocean industry

Bonx is common in terms of "communication" and Ambie is "music", and the fields are different, but hardware startups based on audio devices.So Bonx's Miyasaka and Ambie's Mihara talked about the potential of audio devices and the story of development.

Mihara (Ambie): First, let me talk about the wearability during development.The human body varies widely, and even if you say "ergonomic", you have to get a lot of people to try it out.I made a small ruler and inserted it into hundreds of ears and measured it.

Miyasaka (Bonx): In that sense, I thought it was very important to be able to turn the prototype quickly.It would be nice if you could get it with a 3D printer, but if you can't get it, you'll need a mold or a simple mold, and if you make it in China, it may take two months at a time.

Mihara: What balance of equipment from early prototypes to 10,000, 100,000 mass production is also an issue for hardware startups.Since audio is a dead technology, factories and technologies and materials that can be mass -produced are full of the world, so there are some parts that have the options as much as you can.

Miyasaka: Conversely, the earphones are super red oceans that are so hard, so differentiating is important.I think Ambie is selling because it has no other and differentiates, but Apple has launched a breakthrough audio transparency in AirPods.While Tech Giants proceed with technology, it is important to differentiate and compete in where we have no development power.

Mihara: One thing is to use a microphone to incorporate the outer sound and tune it optimally, but to try using a technique like "Russia using a pencil".The first concept was that music was separated as "music is for directing with human life", so we have thoroughly divided sales channels and marketing.

　I didn't dare put it in a place where people who want to listen to music, such as the earphone corner of the mass retailer, but at first, I put them in a place where people who want to enjoy life, such as BEAMS, come.。I was worried that tech people who like high sound quality would be told by Boroxo because they were "sound quality groups", but I remember the feelings of those days when I was listening to the radio.I was able to get a very high evaluation.

Miyasaka: We are now doing a special and presenting conflict between the current situation.The word "next -generation transceiver" is described because it is easy to understand, but the word transceiver has been dwarfed, so it is not intention.

　We also started working as a channel from sports goods stores such as Murasaki Sports rather than consumer electronics retailers.I think the challenge to create the market category itself is as good as making things.

■ Hardwear startups have a live route in B2B

── Bonx was originally born for communication with snowboarders, but I hear that it is now popular for B2B.How did you adopt the B2B?

Miyasaka: Inquiries came from a luxury brand that originated in Italy, and it was great that it was actually adopted.The special small transceiver is not suitable for the brand style, and a global executive received inquiries, and it is now being adopted in various brands.It has spread to other brands and has been used in many retail chains.

　It is said that there are about 20 million desk workers in Japan, but the deskless worker is about 40 million, almost twice.I use it every day, and there is a great deal of urgency of needs.Our vision is to make the world a playground, and the fundamental is that it's fun to do something with a team.It's the same for work and snowboarding.

Mihara: It's really nice that the construction is progressing, taking into account the feelings of the people used in B2B.Professional team communication is originally cool, so if you say that BONX is used there, there will be some people who want it in the opposite direction.

Miyasaka: It is also used for emergency medical care, but the communication on site is really serious and trembling.Isn't the deskless worker cool now?But I think it would be nice to be transmitted to the world again through these things.

Mihara: The quality standards for making goods are completely different, and the feedback from users is different.B2C has too many silent majority, but B2B comes directly to complain.Since the process of verification and quality improvement after going to the market is hard, I think that if one or two laps, the hardware for the mass will not catch up.

Miyasaka: Certainly, it is surprisingly difficult for B2C to suck up.

──What are you thinking about the advance to B2B?

Mihara: As for the needs of the user, the voice is coming up.Apparel brand staff are becoming a smartphone -based communication, and more companies use voice platforms.Some say that if you can use earphones freely, you want to use Ambie.

　There are many voices that want to use with one ear and want something rude when talking to people.There is no idea of appealing to the main, but I hope that the AMBIE features that can communicate face -to -face without closing their ears will live, so I hope we can provide them well.

　We also receive inquiries about whether Ambie can be used at nursing care sites.It is impossible in places where the noise such as construction sites is large, but if it is a case where you should take care of the customer even if you ignore the urgent sound while giving 100 % face -to -face, such as hotels and stores.There are things that look simple.Depending on the situation, Ambie seems to be very stuck in some places.There are some voices that I want to use for the transceiver, so I hope we can be with Bonx.

Miyasaka: That's right.Isn't it clearly different from listening to the sounds of audio equipment now, listening to the sound of life and communicating with a voice?Now that there are only audio makers in Japan, we're going to startup directly to we are startups.The market itself is growing, and the number of earphone nees is increasing.I think that if you have a brand, you can get a certain share, but nothing happens.I don't think innovation will be born.

── Last but not least, are there any recent trends or issues that you feel while working as a hardware startup in Japan?

Mihara: In the past, I often started a business because I wanted to make a hardware startup, but recently I think that there are quite a few people who make hardware based on issues like Bonx.For example, a service that checks cat health in the toilet.

　From the needs of customer and the challenges of wanting this, I feel that there are more cases where people who are not originally made, and the degree of perfection is extremely high.

Miyasaka: I think the hardware startup is still tough, but I feel the next flow is coming.Overseas, it is changing more and more, such as taking money with SaaS or sub -skulls as a business model.Among them, hardware startups are not only selling equipment, but also taking money for services.

　B2B is actually possible for a great hardware startup.As many as 40 million people are working on the spot, there should be many parts that cannot be solved without making things physically.But no one notices and no one to do it.When it comes to hardware startups, it was a B2C and hardware itself, but I think that if you change the business model and target and succeed, the direction will change, so I wonder if the direction will change.I want to do my best.

* At the time of the first appearance, there was an error in the name of the article.We apologize and correct.