Sony unveils virtual assistant at Mobile World Congress

As the march of virtual reality advanced through Mobile World Congress, Sony veered off in an unexpected direction.

The company unveiled a new virtual assistant that works through an earpiece, dubbed Sony Ear, allowing users to get notifications and messages without touching their phone. Using a proximity sensor to detect when it is being worn, the bluetooth earbud will then keep you up to date with everything from missed calls to breaking news.

It also has an optional charging case that you can store the Sony Ear in to keep the battery topped up.

There had been speculation that Sony would announce a date for its PlayStation VR headset to hit the market.

As expected, there was no new flagship handset from Sony, but the tech company did announce new handsets that feature a new battery technology intended to prolong the life of the phones. The Z Series phones have Qnovo technology built in that optimises charging, keeping an eye on the condition of the battery, and taking into account temperature and other factors. The phones also support fast charging.

The Z Series also include new technology to help the camera focus faster.

The Sony press event came at the opening of the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona. The event, which runs until February 25th, is expected to attract almost 100,000 people.