On the same day that Bose announced an upgraded version of its QC 35 headphones, the company also revealed its competitors to AirPods: the SoundSport Free ($250). It’s the company’s first pair of truly wireless earbuds — they’re basically a completely wire-free version of Bose’s SoundSport Wireless sport headphones ($150). The compact, magnetically shutting charging case looks pretty similar to the AirPods’s charging case, too, except black.
The SoundSport Free wireless headphones cost significantly more than Apple’s AirPods, but they’re also water- and sweat-resistant (which the AirPods are not). The fact is, even if you own AirPods, you probably shouldn’t work out with them; each time you do, you’re that much closer to ruining your $159 investment. However, Bose is entering another competitive market: Jaybird, Jabra and Samsung all make similar truly wireless sport earbuds.
As for other specs, the SoundSport Free earbuds have a five-hour battery life. And the battery case will supply 10 extra hours of juice, meaning you’ll be able to charge the pair of earbuds twice over. The SoundSport Free will work with Bose’s companion app for EQ adjustment; the app also has a feature that helps you find your earbuds if you’ve misplaced them.
The SoundSport Free will be available in early October.
Bose Upgrades Its Iconic Noise-Canceling Headphones
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