Bose Proves the 'Death of the Jack' Was a Marketing Myth
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
By leaning into the wired resurgence with USB-C, Bose is showing that analog simplicity—minus the battery anxiety—is the real premium feature.
For years, the industry told us the headphone jack was a relic. After Apple famously removed the port from the iPhone in 2016, the world pivoted to Bluetooth. But as I've seen in my time covering hardware, the 'death' of the wire was always more of a marketing narrative than a consumer reality. Now, Bose is capitalizing on a genuine wired resurgence.
As The Verge first reported, wired earbuds are seeing a comeback, with sales increasing this year following a five-year decline. The Verge notes that this trend is partly driven by younger generations who view wired gear as 'cool,' mirroring the revival of vinyl and tape decks. Beyond the aesthetic, there is a practical premium to the wire: no batteries to die and a significantly lower risk of losing a single earbud.
Bose is leaning into this shift with its new Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds, priced at $99. While previous attempts at wired ANC—like the 2013 QuietComfort 20—required a bulky rechargeable battery pack in the cable, these new buds leverage USB-C. The Verge explains that because standard 3.5mm or 4.4mm analog connectors cannot provide enough power for active noise cancellation, the USB-C port is the key. This allows Bose to offer ANC without the need for a separate battery or a dongle for modern phones.
In my opinion, this is where the real luxury lies. The 'premium' experience isn't more software or a complex app; it's the absence of them. As The Verge highlights, the beauty of these earbuds is their simplicity: no pairing rituals, no charging cycles, and no app fiddling. You plug them in, and they work.
From a performance standpoint, The Verge reports that the earbuds support high-res audio at 24-bit/48kHz and offer low latency, ensuring audio and video stay perfectly synced. While the ANC isn't as powerful as Bose's Bluetooth offerings—due to having two mics per side rather than three—it effectively blocks low-frequency sounds like truck rumbles and air conditioners. The Verge notes a slight high-end hiss when no audio is playing and mentions that call quality is lacking, with distracting wind noise.
Despite the nostalgic appeal, the wire does bring back old frustrations. The Verge warns that the 4.2-foot cable can easily catch on objects if not tucked away. However, with an IPX4 rating and a secure fit provided by various ear tip and wing options, Bose is making a compelling case that the most 'advanced' feature a gadget can have is the ability to just stay out of the way.