As Apple and AT&T get ready to roll out the iPhone on Friday, the market for iPhone accessories and peripherals is already getting started, with audio gear maker Shure today announcing its Music Phone Adapter which combines sound-isolating music earphones with a mobile phone headset.
“In the past three years, we have watched the popularity of our earphones skyrocket as consumers have begun to recognize the value of premium accessories for their portable devices,” said Mark Karnes, Shure’s executive director Marketing, in a statement. “The release of the iPhone promises to change the face of the music phone industry by getting serious music lovers to make the leap to a converged device. The Shure MPA combined with our award-winning earphones provides the missing piece of the convergence puzzle: one convenient accessory that seamlessly delivers premium audio for all portable listening activities.”
The Shure MPA features a low-profile VoicePort microphone which offers background noise screening and professional-grade sound quality and a control button which lets users initiate and end calls without touching their phones and which, on some phones, can access call waiting, last number dialed, voice dialing, and mute features. (There’s no word on which—if any—of these features work on the iPhone.) The MPA also feature what Shure describes as a “sleek, modular design” which enables users to easily remove the peripheral when its not needed.
The MPA will be available in August 2007 with a suggested price of $39.99, and will carry a two year warranty. In addition to the iPhone, the unit works with the Motorola RAZR V3i, and Shure says future versions will work with additional devices from LG, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, and RIM.
