Bose and Qualcomm join forces to fix big problem with wireless earbuds

Audio brand Bose and US technology giant Qualcomm have just announced a new partnership which could help to fix one of the biggest bugbears of wireless earbuds. The two companies revealed the joint venture at the IFA technology show in Berlin with them promising that the next generation of in-ear music makers will not only sound better but also last a lot longer.

That’s all thanks to upcoming audio products from Bose using Qualcomm’s S5 Audio technology which can boost performance whilst cutting down on power consumption.

There’s no word on exactly how long the new buds will last but the two firms are promising all-day usage which could mean owners get around 8-10 hours of playback before needing a refill.

That’s far better than most rival buds can muster with Apple AirPods users only getting around four hours before the songs stop playing and they need to be tucked back inside the little white case.

So when will see the first new devices from Bose and Qualcomm?

Luckily, audio fans may not have long to wait with Bose announcing that it’s releasing a new device next week, September 7.

“Bose is undoubtedly one of the most iconic brands in audio and I’m proud to see our long-standing relationship continue to grow,” said Cristiano Amon, president and chief executive officer, Qualcomm Incorporated. “Bose has an incredibly robust and competitive product roadmap that will leverage our most premium audio and connectivity platforms to bring to market their most innovative audio devices ever.”

And Lila Snyder, chief executive officer, Bose added: “As we build on this important relationship, we’ll continue working together to push the limits of what’s possible for our products and technologies.”

As well as Bose announcing something totally new, JBL has also revealed some surprise news.

The firm’s new JBL’s Tour PRO 2 might look like any other wireless earbuds but they feature a unique upgrade that will mean less time reaching for your smartphone. Tucked on the side of the charging case is a neat little 1.4-inch OLED screen which offers instant access to controls such as track skipping and volume levels.

You can even read notifications, answer phone calls and switch off the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) without digging into endless settings on your iPhone or Android device.

It’s a nice little touch and is certainly something nobody else offers its users.

The JBL Tour PRO 2 will be available from January 2023 on JBL.com for €249 (£215).