The Verge: Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones get spatial audio
The Verge has obtained photos and details about the upcoming Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones. According to a source from that website, the headphones will have an Immersive Audio mode for spatial audio, in addition to active noise cancellation and a transparency mode.
Images obtained by The Verge show, among other things, the updated design of the Bose QC Ultra. The headphones include a capacitive volume slider, in the form of a kind of thin line on the side of one of the ear cups. The QC Ultra also gets some physical buttons. The headphones can be partially folded, unlike the Bose NC700 headphones from 2019.
According to a source from The Verge, the QuietComfort Ultra will also have support for spatial audio. This is done through a new Immersive Audio mode, which can ‘enhance and give more depth’ to audio content. The mode gets two options: still and motion. The latter is intended for when users are moving.
The Immersive Audio mode will be available in addition to active noise cancellation for noise reduction and a transparency mode that allows ambient noise to be heard through the headphones. That transparency mode also gets an ActiveSense feature that automatically increases or decreases active noise cancellation based on the environment users are in. The headphones also pause content when turned off. When the headphones are put back on, playback will resume.
The QC Ultra comes with a USB-C to A cable to charge the headphones. Bose also provides a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter for audio cables. It is not known whether the headphones can also play audio via the USB-C connection, The Verge reports. Get the headphones a Snapdragon Sound certification. Bose also supplies the headphones with a cover. Further details about the headphones, such as battery life and possible ANC improvements, are not yet known. According to previous rumors, the QC Ultra will be announced ‘in the coming weeks’ and will cost 500 euros. The Verge’s source does not mention an expected release date or suggested retail price.