The History and Evolution of Poly
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In this age of multi-media technology and connectedness, audio plays an important role. We use it to talk to loved ones over the phone, check in during a work conference call, and even share vital information with first responders.
One brand that has contributed much to the current audio capabilities is Poly, formerly known as Plantronics. The company’s fascinating history tells us a lot about our world and how it wouldn’t be the same without audio communications.
Learn how the company came to be, what it’s done for space and business, and where it’s going in the future.
Origins of Plantronics (1950s and 1960s)
Founded in a Santa Cruz garage in 1961 by two airline pilots, Plantronics had an ambitious start. At the time, pilots had limited choices for communications headsets; those commercially available were clunky and uncomfortable to wear. When Courtney Graham, a United Airlines pilot, heard that his company was openly soliciting ideas for an upgraded headset design, he enlisted the help of his friend Keith Larkin.
The two worked to submit a design based on Larkin’s experience importing glasses with tiny radios inside. While the submission wasn’t practical for United’s pilots, the two worked on another concept that more closely resembled today's lightweight headsets.
After United approved this initial idea in 1962, the pair began work as Pacific Plantronics, Inc. and launched the MS-50 headset as a first product. Not only did the headsets become the basis for a slightly modified air traffic control headset, but the technology was soon sought out by other industries - including astronauts.
NASA had experienced a loss of contact during the 1961 Liberty Bell 7 mission, where a splashdown almost took the life of a command pilot. Vowing to never lose radio contact again, it worked with ITT labs for a radio transceiver solution with Pacific Plantronics’s MS-50 headset as part of the technology kit.
The reception of the headset was so favorable that astronauts requested the company place the headset directly into their helmets. NASA awarded a contract for this purpose, and NASA history was made. When the Apollo 8 and 10 missions successfully sent spacecraft to orbit the moon, Plantronics was there. It was also there when Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon’s surface on July 20, 1969. As he spoke the famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” it was spoken through a Plantronics headset.
Innovation and growth (1970s and 1980s)
With its NASA affiliation paving the way for a bright future, the team at Plantronics took new ideas into the age of cordless phone technology. The brand focuses on helping people make calls for their work and personal lives without the hassle of cords and wires. One invention, the StarSet® headset, aimed to help business professionals make hands-free calls using an over-the-ear design and a tube that carried vocal sounds. The company also pioneered new technology to keep wearers on a call, even after they left their workstations.
The products weren’t just aimed at call center agents; busy executives were starting to incorporate these gadgets into their workdays, and Plantronics’s reputation continued to shine. The 80s marked the use of infrared to send signals, much like how TV remotes work, and introduced another unique market offering by the brand.
The digital age (1990s and 2000s)
The 1990s introduced a great time of tech transformation. With the internet becoming more commonplace in American schools, businesses, and even homes, the need for cordless technology became apparent. Plantronics used its expertise to create a line of wireless office headsets, leaving professionals free to walk around while chatting and giving homemakers the space to juggle daily tasks.
Analog was a thing of the past, and as the demand for flexible and adaptive technology grew, so did Plantronics’s offerings. It entered the gaming market in 1999 with headsets made specifically for players. Its DSP-500 headsets even included a built-in digital signal processor. When it collaborated with Microsoft to create the Xbox Communicator in 2002, it changed the way gamers chatted with one another. Xbox Live users, including Halo 2 fans, continued to purchase the products as part of exciting brand campaigns.
Unified communications era (2010s)
The jump from analog to digital wasn’t the first hurdle for Plantronics to scale. It needed to quickly get into the game of unified communications (UC). This newest category of technology incorporated more than just voice over internet protocol (VOIP); it also included the ability to use click-to-dial and other application functions. UC headsets in a call center, for example, could block noise when an agent is on a call and then open up the sound again when the call ends.
These thoughtful features changed the game for companies that could include them, and Plantronics met these new requirements well. The Voyager UC headset offered a boom-less microphone as well as compatibility with Bluetooth on a mobile device and a computer. This versatility ensured businesses could quickly ramp up new call center workers to whatever technology was at hand, and it reduced infrastructure costs.
The birth of Poly (Late 2010s to today)
Bigger can sometimes be better, as evidenced by the merger of Plantronics and Polycom in 2018. Soon after, in 2019, the company left behind the consumer and gaming markets to pursue a more comprehensive enterprise product category. After the merger, the brand changed its name to “Poly” to highlight the strengths of both brands in their new partnership.
Products under the new Poly name include high-quality videoconference tools and solutions to keep hybrid workers more productive and comfortable. The new headsets, for example, come in both corded and wireless options. The company also makes low-profile earbuds that can be used in an office setting, at home, or when out on a jog.
By embracing the many roles that today’s professionals play every day, the Poly product suite offers thoughtful solutions that work seamlessly throughout all of life's moments. These durable and aesthetically pleasing solutions are made with professional use in mind. Speakerphones and videoconference accessories also help round out the full line of Poly gear.
Impact on the industry
What do you think when you hear the name “Plantronics?” You likely think of headsets. That’s because the brand (even in its new generation of “Poly”) has done a great job of establishing itself as “the” audio technology leader. If it’s good enough for astronauts, it will likely be good enough for your typical office setting; or, at least, that's been the thinking for decades now.
But consider how the brand started from a need in the market. When an airline needed something lighter, more comfortable, and reliable, the Poly team delivered, even if it took an iteration or two to get there. It did the same when analog moved to digital and again when cellular technology took off. It didn’t create new unnecessary trends; it simply met people where they were and delivered NASA-level goods when it mattered most.
The industry recognition agrees with this assessment. The brand has earned many awards, including the following:
- International Forum (iF) Product Design Awards in 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, and 2016
- Mexico’s National Quality Award in 2014
- Editor’s Choice Awards from PCMag and Network World
- CES Innovations Honoree
Poly devices leading collaboration
Now, Poly technology solves real-world problems every day across the globe.
When utilizing Poly products for a telehealth program at Baptist Health in Corbin, Cindy Nash, APRN, said, “The patients can get a consistency of schedule and care in a safe and secure environment without the need to travel. It’s a win for everyone involved.”
After switching to Poly conference solutions for Microsoft Teams meetings, a technology officer at Grant Thorton Australia had this to say:
“Not only the cost of the unit was less expensive than the Windows-based devices, but the installation was far simpler. Cabling locations, various parts [of] the unit were less and the overall footprint was lighter. This meant we could do the installation ourselves not only saving money on the devices but the installation as well.”
There are dozens of case studies showing how Poly has simplified collaboration with teams across the world and even saved businesses money in the process. Its impact on the industry may be large, but it's the changes in individual organizations that seem to resonate the most.
Check out the Poly's leading collaboration solutions today:
Poly Voyager Free 60+ UC Carbon Black Earbuds
Poly Sync 60 M
Poly Sync 40+ Speakerphone
Poly Studio R30 USB Video Bar
Poly Studio USB Video Bar
Summary
Poly isn’t the first big brand to get its start in a humble garage, but it may be the first to take big ideas and literally shoot the moon. NASA was willing to take a chance on a small team for something as important as moon-landing communications, and now that same company is creating technology for Fortune 500 companies, distributed start-ups, and global non-profits.
Throughout it all, technology was always changing, but Poly's commitment to quality and trust wasn't. By innovating quickly and adapting to each new decade's top technology needs, Poly has proven to be a tech brand for the ages.
