AfterShokz brings patented bone conduction technology, initially developed for military special operations and law enforcement by Voxtech in 2001, to sport, mobile and Bluetooth® headphones designed and priced for everyday use. Through a suite of proprietary audio technologies and the only completely open ear design, AfterShokz headphones deliver premium stereo sound and a promise of safety and comfort that is second to none. Since its inception in 2011, the company has been committed to innovating unconventionally and making situational awareness a priority. Learn more about how the brand inspires users to #beopen and #hearitall at aftershokz.com.

 

Timeline 

2011

October — AfterShokz is founded, and U.S. headquarters open in East Syracuse, New York. 

 

2012

January — Brand officially launches at the 2012 International CES, in Las Vegas, Nevada. and is welcomed warmly into the wearable technology space.

September — The second generation wired sports headphones, Sportz M2 (with microphone for making/taking calls), begins shipping, closely followed by Sportz 2 (for music play only).

October — AfterShokz named the winner of the Consumer Electronics category in the 2012 Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards, a recognition earned for the company's potential to widely impact the CE industry and make a difference in people's lives.

November — AfterShokz honored with two CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Awards in the Headphone product category for two new products: recently released Sportz M2 and the highly anticipated wireless version, Bluez.

 

2013

January — AfterShokz introduces the world's first Bluetooth(R) bone conduction headphones at the 2013 International CES. Bluez with PremiumPitch(TM) technology earn critical acclaim from the press for their form and function.

August —  The first-ever “Wow List” in O Magazine highlighting 50 ideas designed to really blow the public away, companies with concepts ahead of their time, selected AfterShokz and ranked our open ear headphones with the #3 spot!

October — AfterShokz president and CEO, Bruce Borenstein, earns CEA's prestigious Innovation Entrepreneur Award for Small Business Executive of the Year.  

December — The UK arms of both Men's and Women's Running Magazines honor Bluez 2 with silver awards in the headphones category.   

2014

January — Design and engineering team begin the development of Project: NY, a code name for what will be the most advanced product introduction in the company's young life.

April — The Greater Manchester Marathon makes an adjustment to its rules regulating the use of headphones during the race, lifting the ban only in the case of runners using open ear headphones.

May — AfterShokz earns a spot on Entrepreneur Magazine's List of 100 Brilliant Companies.

June — Bluez 2, with LeakSlayer(TM) and PremiumPitch(TM) technologies, begins shipping. Global availability expands through the addition of two major retail partners: Apple and Best Buy.

September 2014 — AfterShokz establishes Accessibility Division, in an effort to better serve the Blind/Deaf/DeafBlind channel.

November — The world learns that AfterShokz bone conduction technology plays a key role in the prototype product Microsoft has been designing as part of their Cities Unlocked project, which aims to make the world's landscape more accessible to persons with blindness.

December — Developed PremiumPitch+ technology to further enhance bass and reduce natural sound leakage.

 

2015

January — A palette of new colors for Bluez 2 is announced at the 2015 International CES.

June — A new website is launched in preparation for the company's exciting upcoming endeavor, an Indiegogo campaign to fund Project: Trekz.  

September — An updated Bluez 2 begins shipping, equipped with PremiumPitch+(TM) technology and modified transducers, delivering the masses the most exceptional audio experience to date.