Bose Launches QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen: $299 with Wireless Charging and AI Noise Suppression

Bose officially launched the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen at $299, delivering incremental but meaningful upgrades to what was already the noise-cancellation benchmark. The earbuds are available now in Black, White Smoke, and Deep Plum.

What's New

• Wireless charging: The case now supports Qi wireless charging alongside USB-C — the biggest hardware request from first-gen owners
• AI call noise suppression: New AI-based algorithm identifies and removes background noise during phone calls, improving voice clarity for the listener on the other end
• Improved ActiveSense: Aware Mode now transitions between noise levels more smoothly, reducing the jarring switches that plagued the first gen
• Touch control toggle: Capacitive controls can now be fully disabled to prevent accidental taps during workouts
• Bluetooth 5.4 with LE Audio: Supports the latest Bluetooth standard for improved efficiency and multi-device connectivity

What Didn't Change

Battery life remains at 6 hours (4 hours with Immersive Audio), IPX4 water resistance is unchanged, and the physical design is identical. CustomTune audio calibration and Bose TrueSpatial immersive audio carry over from the first gen.

What This Means for Buyers

If you own the first-gen QC Ultra Earbuds and they work well, this isn't a must-upgrade — the improvements are evolutionary. If you're buying new earbuds, the 2nd Gen is the ANC champion at $299, though the AirPods Pro 3 at $199 offers better value for iPhone users and the Sony WF-1000XM6 at $279 beats it on battery life. Amazon already has the 2nd Gen at $249 — worth checking before paying full price. Compare all options in our earbuds guide.