Bose is introducing not one, not two, but three<\/em> new products today. It\u2019s an ambitious move from a company that\u2019s traditionally been very calculated, and it points to a nimbler future for Bose that could see new devices brought to market at a faster clip. Today\u2019s announcements include the $429 QuietComfort Ultra Headphones that I showed you last month<\/a> alongside the $299 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and $349 QuietComfort Headphones. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Each of them replaces a model in Bose\u2019s current hardware portfolio. That\u2019s surprising in the case of the earbuds; their expensive predecessors are only a year old<\/a>. But speaking to media in Brooklyn today, CEO Lila Snyder and chief product officer Raza Haider said Bose had meaningful improvements ready to go and didn\u2019t feel like waiting. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n As the naming makes clear, Bose is fully embracing the brand that consumers are so familiar with and shedding other product names that didn\u2019t resonate as well. (Farewell, Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.) It\u2019s also making a push into spatial audio, although Bose calls its version \u201cImmersive Audio.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n To start off, Bose\u2019s approach has nothing to do with Dolby Atmos; the company is using its own proprietary audio processing to spatialize stereo tracks \u2014 and yes, there\u2019s optional head tracking. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Earbuds both contain an inertial measurement unit sensor that detects your head movements so that when you activate the \u201cstill\u201d mode for Immersive Audio, you can turn from side to side and the music\u2019s sweet spot will remain in the center. A \u201cmotion\u201d mode keeps the music anchored in front of you on the go. (The entry-level QuietComfort Headphones don\u2019t offer this feature.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Let\u2019s dig into each of the new products, which are all available for preorder today and are set to begin shipping over the next few weeks. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n As Bose\u2019s new flagship offering, the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones improve upon the NCH700 with a design that blends aspects of those headphones with the signature QuietComfort line: they fold down for easier storage but still carry a premium feel with minimal seams and a sleek overall design. And in my brief time sampling them, the QC Ultras felt very, very<\/em> comfortable. Here\u2019s Bose\u2019s marketing spiel on them:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A completely re-engineered system includes proprietary signal processing, a robust chip set, and advanced microphones. All of this innovation not only enables improved noise cancellation and CustomTune technology, but it also supports Bose Aware Mode with ActiveSense and remarkable voice pickup. Using a beamform-array to differentiate your voice from 360 degrees of unwanted nearby sound, the QC Ultra Headphones deliver crystal clear calls to friends and family, clients and coworkers, and stunning accuracy from VPAs (virtual personal assistants) for seamless convenience when summoning playlists, textx, or directions.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n They offer up to 24 hours of continuous battery life on a charge, though this drops to 18 hours if you\u2019re using Immersive Audio the whole time. The physical controls have also been improved; Bose added a volume slider in addition to the usual multifunction and power \/ Bluetooth buttons. There\u2019s still no wired USB-C audio support, but the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones retain the company\u2019s standard 2.5mm jack if you want to plug in. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n This is the one that feels a bit… soon, but hey, why not. The QC Earbuds II were only released last fall, and Bose isn\u2019t making any claims about more powerful ANC or better sound quality with these. Noise cancellation was already best in class, so leaving it as is here isn\u2019t what I\u2019d consider a disappointment. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n But it does<\/em> believe the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds will offer improved voice call quality \u2014 particularly for whoever\u2019s on the other side talking to you \u2014 and make you more intelligible in less than ideal conditions. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Sound fidelity is also getting an upgrade with Bose\u2019s support of Snapdragon Sound, which means Android listeners can stream music with the AptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec at a higher bitrate (if their connection is strong) than the other AAC or SBC codecs. Snapdragon Sound is included on both \u201cUltra\u201d models.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The silicone stability bands that come with the earbuds are now easier to fit onto the earbuds with less chance of user error. The QC Ultra Earbuds come in slightly different black or white finishes, and Bose plans to sell an optional $49 wireless charging case that will be backward-compatible with the QC Earbuds II. Speaking of battery, you get six hours with Immersive Audio off or just four with it on, so Bose\u2019s signal processing definitely has an effect on endurance. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Rounding out the new lineup are the standard QuietComfort Headphones, which preserve the design of the QC45s while adding new software features. Bose says you can now adjust noise cancellation levels (instead of just on or off) and set custom modes. And the QuietComfort Headphones will be available in a green finish in addition to black and white when they go on sale on September 21st; they\u2019ll be the first of this trio to start shipping. They still support multipoint pairing and offer up to 24 hours of battery life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nQuietComfort Ultra Headphones<\/strong>
$429, available early October<\/strong>
Replacing: Noise Cancelling Headphones 700<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds<\/strong>
$299, available early October<\/strong>
Replacing: QuietComfort Earbuds II<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\nQuietComfort Headphones<\/strong>
$349, available September 21st<\/strong>
Replacing: QuietComfort 45 headphones<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n