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1890: The Invention of Headphones
The first headphones were created in 1890. They were used by phone operators to listen to incoming calls. It had a very bulky design; it weighed over 10 pounds. -
Early 1890’s: Electrophone
This was the headphones’ next upgrade, it allowed for people to listen to live performances from relatively far distances. -
1910: The Modern Model Headphones
An engineer by the name Nathaniel Baldwin created headphones that look like the ones still used today. The navy actually bought many of these headphones because they figured it would help them defend the nation. -
1937: Personal Headphones
The company, Beyerdynamic, created the first personal headphone set. Headphones were used for military purposes, like the ones Baldwin made. These headphones were the start of public use of this technology. -
1958: The Stereo
John Koss created the first stereo. This was also the first device created for personal use specifically to listen to music. This started a new era of headphones and uses. -
1979: The Walkman
The Walkman, created by Sony, was similar to the stereo. It was a portable music-playing device. It played music from cassette tapes. The device came with headphones as well. -
2001: iPods and MP3 Players
iPods and MP3 players came into the market and Apple started selling many wired earbuds. Earbuds were a simplified and smaller version of the original headphones. -
2008: More Fashion
Many companies started taking their own positions on headphones and earbuds, as in they created different designs. Some of the well known headphone brands are Beats and Skullcandy. -
Period: to
2015-Present: Wireless Headphones
Onkyo, a Japanese company, created the first wireless headphones. This started a new trend of headphones and earbuds becoming wireless. Wireless technology has become the basis of many of today’s advances, like Apple’s Airpods.