During their CES 2013 keynote, Sony made it clear that NFC will play a big role in their upcoming slate of new products which ranges from tablets, to smartphones, and televisions. The bet is that consumers will be vowed by NFC capabilities like being able to pair devices easily and transfer music from your smartphone to your house stereo with a tap and a click. While big devices will be the hub that support NFC like a 5.1 home theater system, it’s truly on smaller devices where NFC shows its true potential. The Sony SBh50 is the newest premium Bluetooth headset from Sony. A followup to the Smart Wireless Headset Pro, the SBH50 features stereo audio and incorporates a mic and remote with a small OLED display. The headset functionality of the SBH50 is as you would expect though Sony wants to emphasize the premium nature of it, with superior clarity. What makes the SBH50 different than other headsets on the market is the mentioned OLED display.

With your phone in your pocket, the OLED is capable of displaying calls, text messages, and other tidbits like current song. With built in controls which allow you to pause/play and move to the next/previous track along the side of the main compartment, Sony gives you one less reason to pull our your phone. If you’re still not down with the fancy digital music wave, the SBH50 also includes a built in FM radio. To top all of this, Sony wanted to make sure that pairing the new Bluetooth headset would be as easy as possible. To achieve this, the SBH50 incorporates NFC technology with makes pairing as easy as a click. It just so happens that Sony’s latest mobile fleet which includes the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, and Xperia Tablet Z all include NFC. Not sold yet? Sony’s promo video:

Sony has yet to reveal a release date and price point though early Summer and a $150 price tag is the word on the street.

Discuss:

Does the SBH50 interest you?

[Via Sony]