In 2022, Dyson surprised the tech world by launching the Dyson Zone—over-ear headphones that doubled as a personal air purifier. Now, as COVID-era concerns wane, the company is discontinuing this unique device.
Although many retailers have already stopped selling the Zone, the headphones are still available at a steep discount on Woot for $259.99, down from the original $949.99 price tag.
Jake Dyson, Dyson’s Chief Engineer, told Wired that the Zone was “completely ahead of its time.” It addressed a “niche” market of people highly concerned about air pollution and willing to pay a premium for a solution combined with headphones. However, this niche proved too small to sustain long-term sales.
According to Dyson, the Zone sold only “in the thousands,” which was not enough to justify continued production. Still, Dyson remains optimistic about the concept’s future potential, saying, “We haven’t thrown the tools away. It’s something we believe will come around in the future. It’s a brilliant product.”
Aesthetic Challenges and a New Direction
The Zone’s unconventional look may have contributed to its limited success. In response, Dyson introduced the OnTrac headphones last year. These lack air-purifying technology but aim to compete with top-tier over-ear headphones on sound and design.
PCMag awarded the OnTrac a four-star rating, a notable improvement over the Zone’s three out of five. Sales of OnTrac headphones have been ten times higher than the Zone’s, which Dyson attributes partly to their more accessible price of $499.99.
What The Author Thinks
Dyson’s Zone headphones were a bold attempt to fuse two complex technologies—high-end audio and personal air purification—but the limited market for such a hybrid product highlights the challenges of merging different functionalities in one device. While innovative, it also needed to appeal broadly, and the high price combined with its unusual design may have held it back. Dyson’s pivot to the more traditional OnTrac headphones reflects a practical approach: focusing on core strengths to gain market traction. This case underscores that innovation must balance novelty with user demand and affordability to succeed.
