Bose Introduces QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) with Enhanced Adaptive Noise Cancellation

Bose announced the next generation of its acclaimed noise cancelling wireless earbuds, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen). As Bose's flagship TWS product with ANC, the new QC Ultra Earbuds retain the same QuietComfort design and the same level of noise cancellation, now enhanced with an AI-based adaptive ANC implementation. The updated model also introduces a suite of thoughtful updates designed to elevate the listening experience, including improved voice pickup, and wireless charging.

The result of Bose’s licensing efforts in partnership with Bragi, simplifying the process of building high-quality audio products for brands worldwide is starting to yield results. Already an earlier adopter of Bragi’s platform, Skullcandy now announced the new Method 360 ANC earbuds. Combining industry-leading sound by Bose with Skullcandy’s signature boldness, the affordable true wireless earbuds are a fresh take on the crowded product category with a clear competitive edge.

As a pioneer in the active noise cancellation (ANC) field, Bose is highly recognized for the quality of its products with that feature. And yet, the company has struggled to find an edge in the ultra-competitive true wireless earbuds segment even with its ANC technology. With these new QuietComfort Earbuds, Bose attempts to find a sweet spot, with an updated Bluetooth platform, a much improved design, a lower price... and its legendary noise cancellation.

I tested the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and I'm Keeping Them. They sound great and allow listening at safe levels while being aware of what other people say. These make a great case for Open Ears and that's the topic of this article where I have inserted my review of the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and I provide examples of how the industry has been exploring alternative designs that avoid in-ear occlusion, from loose-fit earbud shapes to the recent air conduction craze.

The result of an intense research effort to achieve the most effective approach for an open ear design, Bose just introduced the all-new Ultra Open Earbuds, a completely new form-factor. Described as "a breakthrough audio wearable" the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are designed to let users hear the world while still enjoying music. The approach is to use air conduction to feed audio to the inside of the ear, while resting on the lower ear. OpenAudio delivers the air conduction, while signal processing adds Bose Immersive Audio to enhance the experience.

In a subdued and terribly timed announcement - more than one week after the closing of the largest consumer electronics show, and hitting right on Apple iPhone launch week - Bose unveiled a complete refresh of its iconic QuietComfort active noise cancellation headphones and earbuds. The new QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, and the QuietComfort Headphones, are three completely updated iterations of the brand's leading products.

As anticipated, Bose announced its new Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. As the brand that brought us noise cancelling headphones as a consumer product, this announcement is extremely important for the Massachusetts-company, as it claims to offer "the world’s best noise cancellation," thanks to its CustomTune sound calibration technology that allows personalized performance. The design is also refined and much more elegant than any previous Bose product in the category.

If you are an audio industry professional, unless you have been on holiday on some remote island without Internet, you must have noticed that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finally issued the long-expected rule establishing Over-the-Counter (OTC) hearing aids - five years after the original OTC hearing aid act was signed into law on August 18, 2017. Will hearing aid companies really adjust and understand "consumer" behaviors? How do hearables fit in that environment? Could these products be influenced by "brand loyalty"?

Making Audio Augmentation useful for everyone, or pursue the regulatory requirements of OTC hearing aids. This article offers a useful perspective regarding the guidance documents published by the US Food and Drug Administration regarding improved access to hearing aid technology. The agency proposes a rule to establish a new category of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids - to be sold directly to consumers in stores or online without a medical exam or a fitting by an audiologist. But most audio manufacturers are better off by not pursuing this FDA-approved OTC market. Doing so will simply hinder critical experimentation and innovation.

Bose announced the new Bose Sport Open Earbuds — truly wireless earbuds that are optimized for sports, fitness and wellness — with a unique design that the Massachusetts company says, feels like "Nothing In Your Ears, Nothing Covering Them." This new "not in-ear" truly wireless design challenges perceptions, in a crowded space mainly competing to be smaller, smarter, and more discreet. But after the Sleepbuds and the Bose Frames, its seems clear that Bose is not afraid of taking risks.