Bose Brings Back Wired Earphones With $99 Noise-Cancelling Earbuds—Is It Worth It?

September 29, 2026:

Bose Brings Back Wired Earphones With $99 Noise-Cancelling Earbuds—Is It Worth It?

Bose is stepping back into a category it walked away from years ago. The company has announced a return to wired listening with a new pair of earbuds built around active noise cancellation, a plug-and-play USB-C connection, and a price that sits well below most of its current lineup.

Bose Is Going Back to Wired Earphones With New Release

Bose framed the launch as a response to how people are listening to music again.

Raza Haider, president of Bose Premium Consumer Audio, said wired earbuds are going through a cultural comeback, and that the company wanted to bring its latest technology into a format many listeners grew up with. He added that audio technology has advanced enough since Bose last made wired earbuds that the brand could set a new bar for what the category looks like.

The earbuds connect directly to a compatible USB-C phone, tablet, or computer. There is no pairing process and no companion app required to get sound.

Since the earbuds draw power straight from the connected device, there is also no internal battery, which means active noise cancellation works without ever needing a recharge.

Bose’s New $99 Earbuds Feature Noise Cancellation

The centerpiece of the earbuds is Bose QuietControl, a noise-cancelling system built around four microphones total, two on each earbud, that continuously read and respond to outside sound. Listeners can switch between three modes depending on the moment, said Gizmodo.

Quiet Mode blocks out distractions, Aware Mode lets ambient sound through so a listener can stay tuned in to their surroundings, and ANC Off Mode offers plain wired listening with noise cancellation turned off entirely.

Audio runs through Bose’s proprietary SoundDesign processing, supporting lossless playback through the USB Audio Class 2 protocol. The earbuds can accept audio at any sample and bit rate, with output fixed at 24-bit, 48kHz.

Because the connection is wired, latency stays low, which should help when watching video or gaming.

An inline remote handles volume, playback, calls, and mode switching through physical buttons rather than touch controls. A microphone built into the back of that remote is designed to pick up a clear voice without needing to be held close to the mouth.

Wired Earphones Are Back in Style Now

Priced at $99, the new earbuds land well under most of Bose’s noise-cancelling lineup, which tends to sit closer to the $300 range for wireless options. They ship in Black or White Smoke, alongside a limited edition Dewdrop Mint colorway that leans into a nineties aesthetic.

Each color pairs with a contrasting accent, with blue on the black pair and lime green on the white smoke version.

The earbuds come with a 4.2-foot cable, three sizes of silicone eartips, and two sizes of stability wings, giving listeners several ways to adjust fit and comfort. They carry an IPX4 water resistance rating and include a zippered storage case.

Preorders are open now through Bose’s website and Best Buy for My Bose members, with shipping set to begin on October 15.

For anyone tired of charging cases and pairing menus, Bose is betting that going back to basics, done well, still has an audience.

Source link