5 unique Bose gadgets you probably didn’t know existed

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Bose is an audio company whose reputation can range from overrated to downright premium depending on who you talk to. Its headphones, earbuds, portable speakers and home theater equipment are mostly well-regarded in the consumer tech world, although there remain some audiophiles who hate Bose. As a company, Bose has a long history of making cutting-edge audio products. It was founded in 1964 by Dr. Amar Bose, an MIT professor who grew up a bit of a dreamer and was often inspired by technology.

The company’s first consumer product appeared in 1966, when Bose released a speaker known as the Bose 2201, but due to sales fewer than 50 were built. Its first commercial success came in 1968 with the Bose 901 speaker system and Bose’s willingness to experiment with technology and expand into niche markets has continued over the years.

Today, there are several audio brands that you might not realize are owned by Bose, but there are also a number of Bose gadgets that you probably didn’t know existed. From modest portable technology to overpriced entertainment systems, let’s explore some of Bose’s lesser-known products.

Before it became commonplace to wonder if someone was recording you wearing smart glasses, Bose entered the wearable device market. In 2018, Bose Frames were announced. They weren’t meant to be smart glasses in the sense that they could augment reality or connect to social media. Bose’s intention was simply to provide an elegant way to listen to music. The Bose Frames were a bit of a sleight of hand in this regard, as they looked like an everyday pair of sunglasses but had miniature speakers built into the arms. They were oriented towards the user’s ears and were designed for users who felt discomfort when intruding the headphones or heaviness in the bulk of the headphones.

Reviews were mixed when the Frames hit the market. Some tech stores viewed them primarily as a concept product, while others highlighted the impressive audio quality. In 2020, Bose announced three new Frames models, each with a unique style. While the original frames launched at $199, these newer models were priced at $249. Frames have since been discontinued, although the company still supports all models. The product itself never really took off, but the listening technology has spread across Bose’s line of open ear products, including another Bose gadget you might not have known existed, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.

Bose has a number of models that compete to be among the best wireless earbuds for audiophiles, but the Ultra Open Earbuds don’t quite fit that mold. Their unique design makes them appear, at least at first glance, to be the wrong style of headphones for most users. Rather than inserting into the ear canal, Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are designed to clip onto the side of the ear. This eliminates Bose’s ability to include any type of passive noise cancellation in the headphones. The headphones still have a lot to offer, however, and we find them to be among the best headphones for people with small ears.

Part of the reason these headphones aren’t at the forefront of market awareness is simply because they’re overshadowed by Bose’s other models. The more traditional in-ear designs are what people are used to seeing and therefore are the ones getting the most attention thanks to Bose’s own marketing. Its niche market, open-ear design has yet to win over critics. Among those who have purchased and used the Ultra Open headphones, reviews are mixed. The headphones earned a 4.3-star overall rating from buyers on Bose’s website, while shoppers on Amazon only give the headphones 3.8 stars overall. Originally released in 2024, the Bose Ultra Open headphones are still on the market and priced at $299.

Bose has long been known for its audio performance and relatively durable speakers. Its products are generally devices and peripherals intended to pair with other equipment such as smart TVs and smartphones. But in 2012, Bose released the VideoWave II entertainment system. It was a flat screen HD TV and console, complete with a full Bose home theater system. The TV had a 120Hz refresh rate and was somewhat slim and minimalist in style. The setup included a speaker system with 16 speakers, an automatic equalization system with a headset microphone, an iPod and iPhone dock, and a programmable remote control.

Home theater setups are usually assembled using peripheral equipment from different manufacturers. Some like to rely entirely on a single brand that they believe sounds good and offers great reliability. But even among Bose users, the VideoWave II’s all-in-one design was difficult to master. The 46-inch model was priced at $4,999 and the 55-inch version was priced at $5,999. At the time of publication, NBC News said in a review that the VideoWave II’s cost didn’t hide the fact that it simply looked like a regular Samsung monitor. The VideoWave II has won over some, with PCMag and The Guardian giving it four stars.

Bose has established itself as a premium consumer audio brand. This image has normalized the high prices of its more traditional headphones and speakers, but it’s also what has kept many of its more specialized products out of reach of the general public. Although neckband speakers have gained popularity among gamers and runners, their design is somewhat quirky and clunky. In 2017, Bose launched its neckband speaker, the Bose SoundWear Companion. If you haven’t come across this gadget yet, it’s probably because of the obscurity of neckband speakers in general, as the SoundWear Companion itself seems to have lived up to the Bose name.

The speaker featured two 11-inch waveguides that extended the bass response, as well as a built-in microphone for taking phone calls. The battery was capable of getting up to 12 hours of playback between charges, Siri and Google Assistant were accessible for voice commands, and it had IPX4 water resistance to accommodate fitness enthusiasts. In other words, the SoundWear Companion wasn’t lacking in capabilities. Its retail price of $299, however, was probably too high for such a uniquely styled listening device. It received a rave review from The Verge in 2018, which highlights both the niche market for neckband speakers and the fact that Bose still managed to create a good one.

In 2018, Bose entered the sleep technology market with the Bose Sleepbuds. These were small wireless earbuds specifically designed to help the user sleep. Notably, Sleepbuds couldn’t stream music from music libraries or streaming services, or receive or make phone calls. They used noise-masking technology and played only preloaded sounds, tuned to block the frequencies of common sleep disruptors. These included, among others, snoring and road traffic. Just like the other products we’ve reviewed here, Bose hasn’t held back on pricing. The Sleepbuds hit the market at $249.

Bose initially launched a Sleepbuds prototype on Indiegogo in 2017, which sold out in six days. It was a promising start, although marketing the product didn’t go as well as Bose had hoped. The Sleepbuds had battery issues from the start, with some users even experiencing complete battery failure after just a few months of use. Bose discontinued them in 2019, but after a redesign, released them as the Sleepbuds II, in 2020, before dropping the line entirely in 2023. Several Bose engineers, however, saw promise in the Sleepbuds technology and acquired it from Bose after founding a company called Ozlo. Ozlo has redesigned the hardware again and today sells what were once the Bose Sleepbuds as the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2.