Bose counters the AirPods 4 with new $179 QuietComfort Earbuds

Bose is adding a non-”Ultra” earbud option to its lineup today. The new $179 QuietComfort Earbuds offer active noise cancellation, an “everyday earbud design,” wireless charging, and up to 8.5 hours of battery life — presumably with ANC off. Available in black, white, or purple, the QC Earbuds also support multipoint connectivity and are IPX4 water and sweat resistant.

The new earbuds add some unique software tricks that aren’t on Bose’s other products such as Remote Selfie, which lets you turn the QC Earbuds into a remote shutter for your phone’s camera. Can’t say I’ve seen that one before. There’s a “Hey headphones” command for activating your preferred voice assistant, and gamers can take advantage of a low-latency mode.

Despite their lower price, Bose is promising that the QC Earbuds deliver the “best-in-class” noise cancellation that the company is known for. Each earbud contains three mics to aid with that effort (and voice calls). Bose includes three sizes of ear tips with the QC Earbuds, and they also come with a trio of stability bands.

At $179, Bose’s latest earbuds match the price of Apple’s AirPods 4 with ANC, which will be released on Friday. They might cost the same, but the products are fundamentally different in their design: the QC Earbuds have silicone tips, whereas the AirPods 4 utilize an open design. For Bose, these slot in underneath the flagship QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the unique, clip-on Ultra Open Earbuds.