Bose Corporation presented Sunday a new generation of wireless headphones. New features include a noise canceling controller for the QuietComfort 30 and a built-in heart rate monitor for the SoundSport Pulse. All new hands-free headphones include NFC technology.

The new QuietComfort 35 around-ear headphones feature noise-cancelling technology, custom-engineered Bluetooth, and several microphones to detect unwanted sounds and send them to digital electronic chips. According to Bose, they are capable of eliminating the sound of a train or a plane engine.

Bose Corporation presented Sunday a new generation of wireless headphones. Photo credit: Digital Street
Bose Corporation presented Sunday a new generation of wireless headphones. Photo credit: Digital Street

The QC35 are packed with a 20-hour-long rechargeable battery. Headphones include buttons for turning music on and off, changing volume, playing or pausing a song and controlling calls. They come in black and silver and can be paired with devices using NFC. Since May 5, they can be pre-ordered for $349.95.

“Until now, great wireless noise cancellation and better wireless workouts have been more of a dream than reality,” said Bernice Cramer, General Manager of Bose Wireless Headphones.

Here is a video by Bose featuring Formula 1 driver Nico Rosberg, while using the new QC35:

Bose QuietControl 30: Noise-cancelling sport headphones with a 10-hour-long battery

The company headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts, presented on Sunday the new Bose Quiet control 30. The in-ear neckband style headphones include six tiny microphones capable of offering controllable noise cancellation. In other words, owners can decide how much noise they want to hear.

The QC30 are powered by a 10-hour-long battery and come with the same buttons as the QC35. They also come with new “StayHear+” tips, which are specifically designed to eliminate pressure after long sessions of music. “There’s nothing else like it in the industry,” said Bose in a press release issued Sunday.  

“The performance of the QC30 and QC35 are way ahead of where the market is right now. And for the millions of people who run, bike, hike or hit the gym, SoundSport headphones offer a new kind of alternative, because they’re not just named for exercise — they’re made for it,” said Cramer.

Even when the QC30 and the QC35 include noise-cancelling technology, both headphones are capable of detecting voice commands through a dual-mic system. Bose said that text-to-speech works well with Siri, Google Now, and other voice assistants, even in contexts where noise is interfering.

New Soundsport and Soundsport Pulse: Built-in heart rate monitor can be sync with Runkeeper and Endomondo

The company, lead by the sound engineer Amar Bose, has argued that wireless sport headphones in the market can be “harmful and unstable”. As a result, Bose has developed new silicon tips with an umbrella shape that stay sealed in the ear.

The new generation of Soundsport and Soundsport Pulse are sweat and water resistant. They also come with inline microphones and buttons for skipping songs, changing volume and controlling calls. The SoundSport Pulse has a 5-hour-long battery while the SoundSport offers up 6 hours of music playing.

Those features are still similar to those offered by wireless headphones like the Jaybird Freedom that were presented on late May. What makes the Bose product different is a new built-in heart rate monitor that can substitute chest straps. It can be sync with RunKeeper, and fitness apps.

The SoundSport wireless model can be acquired from $150, while the SoundSport Pulse, which includes a heart monitor, costs $200. Bose is also selling a case for charging headphones that costs $50. The first are available in Black and Aqua, while the second come in Power Red color.

Freedom Wireless Bluetooth Buds developed by Jaybird are the direct competitor of the SoundSport Pulse. They include an “on-the-go” feature that gives an extra hour of play time for a 20 minutes charge. The market will make the final decision whether it prefers fast charging technology or heart monitors.

Bose has presented a new app for controlling headphones

The company unveiled the Bose Connect app, for iOS and Android devices. It shows a minimal interface that allows users to switch between different wireless headphones and update software. Owners of the QC30 can control how much noise they want to filter.

Owners of the SoundSport Pulse can also watch their heart-rate in real time. According to Bose, it will add new functions to the app in the coming months. Jaybird also introduced a new app last month called Mysound. It allows users to customize sound settings and save them to their headphones.

Most companies are joining the wireless trend. Will Apple take the step?

The giant Apple would eliminate the 3.5 mm headphone jack from the iPhone 7, according to Mac Rumors. The company acquired Beats in 2014, a headphones company lead by music producer and rapper Dr. Dre. The 3 billion deal would be the first step to jump to wireless technology.

Analysts have suggested that Apple would present a new set of headphones with noise-cancelling technology and built-in support for Siri. Some would be connected through the lightning connection, while others would be “all-wireless”. 

Source: Bose (Press Release)