Wired earbuds are staging a comeback, and Bose is moving to capitalize. According to a review by The Verge, wired earbud sales increased this year after five straight years of decline, helped by nostalgia and adoption among younger consumers. Bose's new Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds, priced at $99, mark the company's return to the wired in-ear category for the first time since its 2013 QuietComfort 20.
Unlike that earlier model, which required a battery pack in the cable to power noise cancellation, the new earbuds draw power from a USB-C port. That allows them to offer active noise cancellation without needing to be charged or paired. The Verge notes the design keeps things simple: no app, no pairing, no charging. The wired connection also enables low latency and support for 24-bit/48kHz high-res audio.
The wired ANC niche remains small. The Verge points to only a few comparable products, including Belkin's $30 SoundForm ANC Wired Earbuds, which reportedly have weak noise canceling, and an Audio-Technica model released in Asia earlier this year. Bose's brand recognition could help expand the category, though the review also notes trade-offs such as wind noise and mediocre call quality.