“I Hate AirPods,” Buzzfeed News declared last week, calling the increasingly ubiquitous tech accessories “ugly, overpriced and harbingers of gentrification.” While “ugly” and “overpriced” are self-explanatory descriptors of the totems of modern wealth, the third complaint stemmed from another Buzzfeed News article detailing the frustration of service workers struggling to discern whom, if anyone, AirPods-wearing rich people are talking to.
That problem is about to get much worse. At least when a person has AirPods in, they are somewhat aware of the fact that they constructed a wall separating them and the rest of the world; it is incumbent upon them to lower the drawbridge if they so desire to connect with their surroundings. But what about when a person is listening to music and/or talking on the phone without visible toothbrush shapes protruding from their ears? What then? That is the question Bose will raise as their sunglasses-cum-speakers, the Bose Frames, catch on in popularity.
The Bose Frames look like relatively stylish sunglasses, and for just $199, that is a good deal itself. But the value comes in the tiny speakers hidden in the arms of the frames. These play audio (music, podcasts, audiobooks, etc.) that is only audible to you. Similarly, you can access Siri (or Google Assistant) and take calls. In other words, wearing the Bose Frames is like wearing AirPods — without anyone knowing you are wearing AirPods (but, isn’t that the primary reason for wearing AirPods?)
Bose is betting that unlike the smartglasses attempts that have come before (and, to a degree, unlike Apple as well), consumers will eventually want to cocoon themselves in a world of personal sound without signaling their early adoption of the latest tech. (The Bose “Wearables” line also includes the “SoundWear Companion,” an unassuming shoulder speaker with similar functionality, creating a bubble of sound).
This is not necessarily a bad bet. As atomization of our post-industrial society continues apace, it stands to reason that we will desire a multitude of ways to create our own reality to help us get through the day with minimal human interaction. Conspicuous consumption invites questioning: “When did you get AirPods? Are you going to get AirPods 2?”; “Oh so you got the Snapchat Spectacles! How do you like them?” With my Bose Frames, on the other hand, I can go about whatever business I decide to attend to, all while listening to my friend Joe Rogan. And if I start talking, you will have no idea if I am talking to you.
