Bose announces the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)

June 12, 2025 – Today, Bose is announcing the next generation of its critically acclaimed noise cancelling earbuds, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen). As Bose’s flagship earbud, the new QC Ultra Earbuds retain the hallmarks of the QuietComfort line — world-class noise cancellation, high-quality audio, and legendary comfort and stability — while introducing a suite of thoughtful updates designed to elevate the listening experience, including enhanced adaptive noise cancellation, improved voice pickup, and wireless charging.

The next-gen QC Ultra Earbuds will be available in Black, White Smoke, or limited-edition Deep Plum.

Adaptive noise cancellation and voice pickup enhanced

Like its predecessor, the QC Ultra Earbuds feature Bose’s proprietary CustomTune sound calibration technology personalizing audio and noise cancellation performance to the unique shape of a listener’s ear and adapting the experience as the listener’s environment changes. An updated algorithm improves the buds’ ActiveSense experience when in Aware Mode. Changes in noise cancellation levels are now smoother than before when the system is adjusting to filter out sudden spikes of noise, preventing audio content from being drowned out by the sound of a passing train or a nearby siren — resulting in a more refined noise cancellation experience.

For clearer conversations on-the-go, a new AI-powered noise suppression system improves call quality when combined with the earbuds’ eight microphones, dynamic mixing, and adaptive filters. Leveraging Bose audio augmentation technology originally developed for hearing aids, the earbuds effectively reduce background distractions — like wind or office chatter — whether using one earbud, or both, while keeping the speaker’s voice front, center, and clear.

Stability, comfort, and convenience

Stability and comfort continue to be hallmarks of the new QC Ultra Earbuds while introducing subtle design improvements. The eartips for each bud now feature a guard to prevent wax buildup, making it easier to capture and remove earwax after prolonged use, protecting against any impact on audio quality.

The new QC Ultra Earbuds now support wireless charging right out of the box. Users can align the back button of the case with the center of any compatible wireless charger for a seamless, cord-free charging experience. For battery power, a full charge of the earbuds lasts up to six hours (and up to four with Immersive Audio enabled), while the USB-C charging case holds up to three additional charges. When the earbuds are fully depleted of power, a 20-minute quick charge provides up to two hours of audio playback time (with Immersive Audio off).

And for those prone to accidental interruptions when adjusting their earbuds or brushing hair behind their ear, capacitive touch controls can now be toggled off entirely in the Bose app, offering more flexibility to tailor the earbuds to individual preferences.

The Bose app, connectivity, and codec support

The Bose app is the gateway to controlling and customizing the QC Ultra Earbuds. Using the app, firmware updates are automatically downloaded and installed, ensuring the earbuds are kept up to date. Additional features can also be accessed, including access to Custom Modes, EQ adjustment, Bluetooth connections, earbud and case battery life reporting, shortcut customization, and more.

The QC Ultra Earbuds continue to support Bluetooth® Core 5.3 multipoint connectivity, allowing them to stay connected to two source devices simultaneously. It also supports the Low Complexity Subband Coding (SBC) and the Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) codec standards, making them compatible with nearly all Bluetooth streaming devices. Qualcomm’s hi-definition audio codec aptX Adaptive is also supported, allowing for automatic adaptation to lossless audio and low-latency processing when used with Snapdragon Sound-certified devices. Android users can also take advantage of Google Fast Pair, a technology developed by Google to expedite the initial pairing process.