New York — SMS Audio, the headphone maker helmed by rapper 50 Cent, will launch its first wearable fitness product this fall.
The device, described by SMS president Brian Nohe as a “biometric airbud,” was developed in concert with Intel and will launch in October.
The product represents the company’s first foray into the health and fitness category, and extends its current catalog of headphones, wireless speakers and accessories.
Word of the line extension came last night at a Manhattan launch party for the vendor’s Sport line of wired and wireless athletic headphones, which were introduced to the trade at International CES in January.
The sweat-resistant models are fronted by New York Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony, and will hit retail shelves on July 1.
Anthony, who has taken an equity position in SMS, joined partners 50 Cent and Nohe at the Meatpacking District event to officially launch the line.
Nohe told TWICE that in its brief two years SMS has managed to reach name-recognition parity with older, more established headphone brands. Its products are now carried by 18 distributors worldwide and are sold in the U.S. by Amazon.com, Best Buy, Newegg.com, and most recently Nordstrom, he said.