Bose’s latest earbuds go straight for the AirPods Pro throne

Bose is back with a new generation of its flagship wireless earbuds. The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are official, bringing a familiar design and sound experience, but this time with enhanced adaptive noise cancellation, upgraded voice pickup, and long-overdue wireless charging out of the box.

The earbuds are set to launch later this summer for $299, the same price as their predecessor.

A refined approach to noise cancellation and sound personalization

The new Bose earbuds deliver improved voice clarity and noise suppression for calls, whether you’re indoors or on the move. | Image Credit — Bose

While the core strengths of the QuietComfort Ultra line remain—namely, Bose’s renowned comfort, audio quality, and noise cancellation—this new model builds on that foundation with smarter features. The 2nd-gen earbuds use an updated AI-powered algorithm layered onto Bose’s CustomTune sound calibration tech, enabling more nuanced noise control, especially in Aware Mode.

Thanks to the upgrade, changes in environmental noise—like a passing subway train or sudden city chatter—are now handled more smoothly, preserving your music or podcast without jarring interruptions.

Clearer calls, even with just one earbud

The second-gen Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds feature a sleek, modern design with advanced adaptive noise cancellation. | Image Credit — Bose

Bose has also put considerable effort into improving voice pickup. The new buds feature eight microphones, dynamic audio mixing, and adaptive filters that can now suppress wind, crowd noise, or general background clamor more effectively. Whether you’re using one bud or both, Bose says callers will hear your voice front and center—tech originally developed for Bose’s hearing aids is now helping make that happen here.

Subtle hardware improvements and long-requested features

The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) now support wireless charging right out of the box, shown here in White Smoke. | Image Credit — Bose

Beyond audio, Bose is finally checking off some long-requested quality-of-life features. The earbuds now support wireless charging by default, and a new wax guard helps prevent earwax from creeping inside the buds. Capacitive touch controls can now be disabled in the companion app for those who found them too sensitive.Battery life remains unchanged at up to 6 hours from the buds, with the case offering three extra full charges. A quick 20-minute top-up provides about 2 hours of listening time.

The specs in a nutshell:

Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint support
Qualcomm aptX Adaptive, SBC support
Google Fast Pair
Available in Black, White Smoke, and Deep Plum

Qualcomm aptX Adaptive is a premium Bluetooth codec developed by Qualcomm. It automatically scales audio bitrate (from 279kbps to 420kbps) based on your wireless environment, prioritizing either quality or latency depending on what you’re doing (like gaming vs music).

With Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 and Sony’s next-gen buds still unannounced, Bose might just enjoy a head start in the race for best premium wireless earbuds of 2025. Whether the noise cancellation and call upgrades end up being impactful upgrades remains to be seen, but the unchanged price tag is a promising start.

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Aleksandar is a tech enthusiast with a broad range of interests, from smartphones to space exploration. His curiosity extends to hands-on DIY experiments with his gadgets, and he enjoys switching between different brands to experience the latest innovations. Prior to joining PhoneArena, Aleksandar worked on the Google Art Project, digitizing valuable artworks and gaining diverse perspectives on technology. When he’s not immersed in tech, Aleksandar is an outdoorsman who enjoys mountain hikes, wildlife photography, and nature conservation. His interests also extend to martial arts, running, and snowboarding, reflecting his dynamic approach to life and technology.

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