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Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)
Get the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) for Bose's flagship noise cancelling and a wireless charging case in the box, at the same $299 as the 2023 pair.
Product images
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Get the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) for Bose's flagship noise cancelling and a wireless charging case in the box, at the same $299 as the 2023 pair. Eight microphones with AI noise suppression handle calls, and aptX Adaptive works with Snapdragon Sound phones. Battery is unchanged: up to 6 hours, or 4 with Immersive Audio. Owners of the 2023 pair can skip it unless they want the wireless case or the new microphones.
Who it is for
- Anyone buying Bose's flagship earbuds new. The wireless charging case now comes in the box, where the 2023 pair needed a $49 cover, and the launch price stayed at $299.
- Frequent callers. Eight microphones, four in each bud, feed the AI noise suppression Bose sells as SpeechClarity.
- Android owners with a Snapdragon Sound phone, who get aptX Adaptive. Google Fast Pair also speeds up the first pairing on Android.
- People who move between a phone and a laptop all day: multipoint keeps both connected at once.
Who should skip it
- Happy owners of the 2023 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Battery life is the same, so you'd mostly be paying for the wireless case and the new microphones.
- Long-haul listeners. The buds run up to 6 hours per charge, or 4 with Immersive Audio, so a long flight means a stop in the case.
- Anyone who can't get on with eartips. These seal your ear with silicone tips and stability bands; an open-ear design keeps the ear free.
What sets it apart
- A wireless charging case in the box: center the button on its back on a compatible charger. The 2023 model needed a $49 cover for that.
- Eight microphones, 4 per bud, with AI-powered noise suppression, dynamic mixing and adaptive filters for calls.
- aptX Adaptive from Snapdragon Sound sources alongside AAC and SBC, over Bluetooth 5.3 with two-device multipoint.
- CustomTune fits the sound and the noise cancelling to your ears, and ActiveSense in Aware Mode reacts more smoothly when noise spikes.
Caveats
- The case isn't water resistant. The buds are IPX4, which covers sweat and splashes, not swimming.
- aptX Adaptive works only with Snapdragon Sound-certified sources; other phones fall back to AAC or SBC.
- There's no hearing-aid or hearing-test feature, and Bose lists no Find My or ultra-wideband tracking.
Key specs
In the same order on every earbuds page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Sealed in-ear with eartips and stability bands | Bose press release; Bose US product page |
| Fit / tips / wings | 3 pairs of eartips (S, M, L) and 3 pairs of stability bands (1, 2, 3); the tips have a guard to catch wax | Bose US product page; Bose press release |
| Active noise cancellation | Enhanced adaptive noise cancelling, adjustable, tuned to your ears by CustomTune | Bose press release; Bose US product pageBose's description; it gives no decibel figure. |
| Transparency / ambient | Aware Mode with ActiveSense, which Bose says now steps in more smoothly when noise spikes | Bose press release |
| Spatial / 360 audio | Bose Immersive Audio; battery drops to 4 hours with it on | Bose press release; Bose US product page |
| Hearing features | None listed; Bose uses processing first developed for hearing aids to improve calls | Bose press release |
| Battery — buds | Up to 6 hours; up to 4 with Immersive Audio on. 20 minutes of charging gives up to 2 hours; the buds recharge fully in 2 hours | Bose press release; Bose support specifications |
| Battery — with case | Up to three more full charges; a case at 100% holds 18 hours | Bose press release; Bose support specifications |
| Charging | USB-C, 5V DC at 1.2A; the case recharges in 3 hours; 20 minutes gives up to 2 hours (Immersive Audio off) | Bose support specifications; Bose press release |
| Wireless charging | Yes, built into the included case; center the button on its back on a compatible charger | Bose press release; Bose US product page |
| Water / dust — buds | IPX4 | Bose support specificationsRated for splashes, not for swimming. |
| Water / dust — case | Not water resistant | Bose support specifications |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3; range 30 ft | Bose press release; Bose US product page |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive (from Snapdragon Sound-certified sources) | Bose press release |
| Microphones / calls | Eight in total, 4 per bud, with AI-powered noise suppression, dynamic mixing and adaptive filters (SpeechClarity) | Bose press release; Bose support specifications; Bose US product page |
| On-bud controls | Capacitive touch; can be switched off entirely in the Bose app | Bose press release |
| Multipoint / device switching | Yes, two devices at once over Bluetooth 5.3 | Bose press release |
| Sensors | No sensor list; CustomTune measures your ears with a calibration tone and the microphones | Bose US product FAQ; Bose press release |
| Weight — one bud | 0.017 lb (0.01 kg); 0.016 lb on Bose's US product page | Bose support specifications; Bose US product page |
| Weight — case | 0.132 lb (0.06 kg) | Bose support specifications |
| Dimensions — one bud | 1.18 × 0.49 × 0.98 in (2.99 × 1.25 × 2.49 cm), height × width × depth | Bose support specifications |
| Dimensions — case | 2.61 × 2.35 × 1.06 in (6.63 × 5.97 × 2.69 cm), height × width × depth | Bose support specifications |
| Finishes | Black, White Smoke, limited-edition Deep Plum | Bose press release, 12 June 2025Which colors are in stock varies. |
| Phone / OS compatibility | Apple and Android devices; aptX Adaptive needs a Snapdragon Sound-certified source; Google Fast Pair on Android | Bose press release |
| Find / Fast Pair / UWB | Google Fast Pair; no Find My or ultra-wideband listed | Bose press release |
| Companion app / firmware | Bose app: Custom Modes, EQ, Bluetooth connections, battery level, shortcuts, firmware updates | Bose press release |
| US launch price | $299 at Bose.com; Bose said it would ship later in summer 2025 | Bose press release, 12 June 2025 |
| Price band | Flagship ($200–$300) | Based on the $299 launch price |
| Announced | 12 June 2025 | Bose press room |
| Availability | Bose's current QuietComfort Ultra in-ear model as of 19 September 2026; the 2023 first generation came before it | Bose.com |
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| CustomTune | A calibration tone plays as you put the buds in, and they adapt sound and noise cancelling to your ears | Bose US product FAQ; Bose press release |
| SpeechClarity | Bose's name for its call processing: AI noise suppression across eight microphones | Bose US product page; Bose press release |
| aptX Adaptive / Snapdragon Sound | Supported with Snapdragon Sound-certified sources | Bose press release |
| Model | QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), sold from 2025; not the 2023 model | Bose support specifications |
| In the box | 2 earbuds; Bose Fit Kit (eartips S, M, L; stability bands 1, 2, 3); wireless charging case; 12-inch USB-A to USB-C cable; safety sheet | Bose US product page |
What’s new since the 2023 pair
Bose kept the $299 launch price and the battery life of the first QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and changed the things you deal with every day. The biggest is the case: it now charges wirelessly straight out of the box, where the 2023 pair needed a $49 cover to do the same.
Calls get a new setup of eight microphones, four per bud, with AI-powered noise suppression. Bose also describes the noise cancelling as enhanced and adaptive, says ActiveSense in Aware Mode reacts more smoothly to sudden noise, adds a wax guard to the eartips, and lets you switch the touch controls off. QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds vs Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) puts the two generations side by side.
Noise cancelling, Aware Mode and Immersive Audio
CustomTune plays a calibration tone when you put the buds in, uses the microphones to measure your ears, and adapts the sound and the noise cancelling to them. Bose doesn’t give a decibel figure, so “enhanced” is its own word for the result.
You can set the noise cancelling anywhere between full and Aware Mode, which lets the world back in. In Aware Mode, ActiveSense steps in when a sudden noise spikes, and Bose says the 2nd Gen does that in smoother steps.
Immersive Audio is Bose’s spatial audio mode. It shortens a charge from 6 hours to 4, so save it for the music that benefits.
Calls
Each bud carries four microphones, and Bose runs AI-powered noise suppression, dynamic mixing and adaptive filters across all eight under the name SpeechClarity. Bose says part of this processing was first developed for hearing aids. That’s where the connection ends: the buds have no hearing-aid or hearing-test feature.
Battery and charging
| Mode | QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) |
|---|---|
| Buds, Immersive Audio off | Up to 6 hours |
| Buds, Immersive Audio on | Up to 4 hours |
| Fully charged case | 18 more hours, about three recharges |
| Quick charge | 20 minutes for up to 2 hours |
| Full recharge | Buds 2 hours; case 3 hours |
The 2023 pair was rated for the same 6 and 4 hours, so battery is no reason to upgrade. On a long flight, plan a break in the case: 20 minutes there buys about 2 more hours. You can top up the case from a USB-C cable (5V DC at 1.2A) or a wireless pad, and the box includes a 12-inch USB-A to USB-C cable.
Codecs, multipoint and the Bose app
The 2nd Gen supports SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive. Phones certified for Snapdragon Sound get aptX Adaptive; iPhones and everything else use AAC or SBC. Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint keeps two devices connected, say a phone and a laptop, and Bose quotes a 30-foot range. On Android, Google Fast Pair speeds up the first pairing.
The Bose app holds Custom Modes, EQ, your Bluetooth connections, battery status, shortcuts and firmware updates.
Fit and water resistance
These are sealed in-ear buds. The Fit Kit has silicone eartips in S, M and L and stability bands in sizes 1, 2 and 3, and the tips now have a guard to catch wax.
The buds are rated IPX4 against sweat and splashes. The case isn’t water resistant at all.
Price and colors
Bose announced the 2nd Gen on 12 June 2025 at $299 on Bose.com, matching the first pair’s launch price, and said it would ship later that summer. It comes in Black and White Smoke, plus a limited-edition Deep Plum that may sell out. Bose.com shows the current price and which colors are left, so look there before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Bose press room — QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), 12 June 2025 — accessed 2026-09-19
- Bose support — QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) specifications — accessed 2026-09-19
- Bose — QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) US product page — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
What changed from the 2023 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds?
The wireless charging case now comes in the box, and calls go through eight microphones with AI noise suppression. Bose also lists enhanced adaptive noise cancelling, smoother ActiveSense in Aware Mode, eartips with a wax guard and a setting to turn the touch controls off. Battery life and the $299 launch price stayed the same: up to 6 hours, or 4 with Immersive Audio.
Do they work with an iPhone?
Yes. Bose sells them for Apple and Android devices alike. An iPhone just won't use aptX Adaptive, which needs a Snapdragon Sound-certified source, or Google Fast Pair, which is an Android feature.
Can the case charge wirelessly?
Yes. Set it on a compatible wireless charger with the button on the back of the case centered on the pad. Over USB-C, a full case recharge takes about 3 hours.
Is the case water resistant?
No. The buds are rated IPX4 for sweat and splashes, but the case has no water resistance at all, so keep it out of the rain.
Do they have a hearing-aid mode?
No. Bose says some of the call processing grew out of its hearing-aid work, but the buds have no hearing-aid or hearing-test feature.
Can I turn off the touch controls?
Yes. The Bose app can switch the capacitive touch controls off entirely, so brushing a bud while you adjust it won't pause your music.
Official product page: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen). Tech specs: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) specs.