14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just launched the second-generation Surface Headphones, and the company used this occasion to also debut a dedicated app that allow users to control all settings without the need for sticking with Cortana.
In Windows 10, for example, users were forced to rely on the digital assistant to set up the Surface Headphones and then use the Cortana Device Setup app for other customizations.
But the Surface Audio app is now officially here, and it comes with all the features you need to easily control the Surface Headphones (both the first- and the second-generations models work just fine) and the Surface Earbuds.
As you can see in the screenshots here, the Surface Headphones app displays the battery level alongside an estimate of the remaining listening time, the firmware version, volume level, and noise cancelation level.
Also available on Android and iOS
An equalizer is also offered with presets like flat, classical, jazz, pop, and rock, but you can also create your own custom settings by adjusting the low, mid-low, mid, mid-high, and high sliders.
The device controls section is the one most people are looking for as it includes an option to disable the Cortana wake-up phrase. You can also enable touch controls, voice prompts, and aptX audio.
The Surface Audio app can also be used for updating the Surface Headphones and changing the language both of the headphones and of the app.
Without a doubt, the debut of this dedicated app is good news especially as Microsoft keeps expanding beyond the PC market with all these Surface accessories. The Headphones and the Earbuds are supposed to serve as premium companions for Surface 2-in-1 PCs, but they can also be paired with iPhones and Androids wirelessly with a Bluetooth connection.
On Android and iOS, the Surface Headphones and the Surface Earbuds can also work with Google Assistant and Siri.
