The Chinese mobile phone maker Xiaomi recently launched a new in-ear headphones, called ‘Piston 3 Pro’, that according to reports from various websites and blogs makes use of a ‘graphene diaphragm’ that helps in producing more natural sounds. The use of graphene, however, was not mentioned in the Xiaomi official website.
We are quite skeptical about the presence of an actual graphene membrane that enhances the sound quality in this product; It seems possible that Xiaomi is using some form of graphene added to the product but we will wait to find a more formal explanation as to what its role actually is, if any.
While the use of graphene in this product remains uncertain, researchers have indeed shown interesting potential for graphene to be used in various sound-related application. In September 2016, researchers at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) developed a graphene oxide-based speaker design said to be specifically targeted for the mobile audio market. In November 2015, researchers at the University of Belgrade in Serbia built the world’s first graphene-based condenser microphone, relying on graphene's ability to detect faint and high frequency sound waves. In July 2015, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, used graphene to build lightweight wireless ultrasonic loudspeakers and microphones.