Bose recently confirmed to Digital Trends that its innovative product, the Frames smart glasses series, has been discontinued. This decision marks an important shift for the company in the field of smart glasses. According to the company in an email, they are phasing out the Frames family of products. This news could mean the end of an era for consumers who follow Bose products.
Bose further noted in the email that most Frames eyewear is already sold out in stock, and that consumers may also find sporadic items from the Frames collection on Bose's official ** during the upcoming holiday season, which typically includes Christmas and New Year's. However, as 2023 comes to an end, these products will no longer be on sale. Despite the imminent retirement of the Frames series, Bose has pledged to continue to provide official support to existing Frames users. At the same time, the Bose Guarantee will maintain the valid warranty service for these products.
Since the introduction of the Bose Frames series, their response in the market has not been consistent. On the one hand, the idea of combining sunglasses or regular glasses with high-tech elements such as speakers and microphones was considered innovative, but on the other hand, the audio quality of the product did not meet expectations, disappointing many users. In 2021, one of Digital Trends' reviewers even bluntly criticized that "smart audio glasses are just wasting space on your face", a comment that reflects the dissatisfaction of some consumers with such products.
Looking back at the history of the Bose Frames series, Bose initially launched this series of Alto smart audio glasses in 2019 and introduced them to the Chinese market. At that time, the price of this product was set at 1,599 yuan. Frames Alto is not only unique in design, but also offers two lens options: Mirror Silver (polarized) and Gradient Blue (non-polarized), which are priced at 249 yuan and 159 yuan, respectively. Although the Frames series has achieved some innovation in the end, it seems that it has failed to take its place in a competitive market.