Sunglasses and headphones in one very cool package

They’re sunglasses. No, wait. They’re headphones. No, wait. They’re sunglasses and headphones. Bose Frames may not be what you’d expect from the respected speaker and headphone company. But it’s great to see Bose offer an innovative product designed to change how you think about your listening experience.

Bose Frames are headphones you wear in the form of a stylish pair of sunglasses. Bose positioned speakers that direct sound into your ear without earbuds to interesting effect. Instead of losing yourself in the experience, Bose Frames creates a soundtrack for your daily life.

Bose Frames are a great attempt at an augmented audio experience that fall just short of excellence. They’re not well-suited for city life, and Android users are missing half the experience. At $199, they’re more of an interesting accessory than a replacement for your favorite pair of sunglasses and headphones.

Stylish sunglasses

Who knew Bose could make a great pair of sunglasses? Honestly, I’d be impressed if that’s as far as Bose went with the Frames.

The glasses come in two styles. The Alto is for those who like a larger, more angular pair of sunglasses. The Rondo features circular lenses and a rounded look. 

Out of the box, the Bose Frames look and feel like a premium pair of sunglasses. The arms are thick and sturdy, while the metal hinges, instead of screws, ensure a secure fit. Matte black nylon was a great choice and the scratch- and shatter-resistant lenses have a nice thickness. While the Frames are not polarized, they are 99% UVA/UVB resistant.

These bad boys feel like they could thrive as your everyday pair of sunglasses. Just don’t submerge them in water. They are drip resistant, but you should try not to get caught in a sudden downpour or jump into a pool, just in case. 

I received my share of compliments wearing the Bose Frames. If they sold a standalone version of Frames at a lower price, I would consider buying a pair even without the added audio features. 

Augmented listening

Of course, Bose Frames are more than just a pair of sunglasses, but there’s nothing outright that gives that away. There are no lights or electronics found on the frame. Instead, there are a few speakers paced discreetly around your ear. Bose opted for what it calls an “open ear experience.” 

There’s a small button on the right temple that lets you skip or pause songs, take a call, or activate a virtual assistant. That button also lets you turn the Bose Frames on and pair the sunglasses. Again, it’s a discreet nod to tech that keeps the true purpose of the Bose Frames hidden in plain sight.

Using the Bose Connect app to set up the Frames, I was ready to experience augmented audio. The verdict? It’s different, but much the same in many ways as well. 

Listening to a song feels like it’s enveloping you. It’s a gentle wave lapping your feet instead of a dive headfirst into the ocean. You’re surrounded by sound but you can hear everything around you clearly. It’s your own soundtrack.

If you want an immersive listening experience, you should look elsewhere. The sound quality is generally fine and it’s surprising just how good the Bose Frames sound at times. Music gets a chance to breathe and you can make out some finer production details. But those speakers can only do so much. 

There’s not a lot of bass, and there’s a bit of sound bleed at higher volumes. You can also feel the Frames vibrating when you crank it up further. That’s not an issue if you’re listening at mid-volume, as would be expected. You’d have to be pretty close to someone to hear the music coming from the Bose Frames at the suggested listening volume.

Overall, Bose Frames are impressive piece of innovation that could get better in the years to come. Bose has already introduced interchangeable lenses and the frames themselves could be offered in different colors. Bose is also supporting the development of augmented reality apps for the Bose Frames. 

Bose Frames supports apps. These are meant to be immersive listening experiences. You can, in theory, hear new sounds as part of an audio story that features no dialogue. Or you can use it to guide you through Coachella. I could see this be interesting as a podcast tied to a specific location, for example.

It’s an interesting concept that expands upon the potential of Bose Frames. For now, it’s limited to just iOS devices. Android apps are on the way but you’re out of luck for now.

Life in the big city

Because Bose Frames are combining two distinct products in your life, there will be some restraints. Bose Frames won’t replace your sunglasses and they won’t replace your headphones. They fit somewhere in between, and that’s difficult to reconcile if you live in a city.

Bose Frames simply can’t compete with a noisy city. The Frames are no match for construction, even if you max out the volume. That’s not what they’re designed to do but it’s hard to resist the urge.

There are too many moments in the day where I want the sunglasses to stop but the headphones to continue. Going on the train, the sunglasses have to come off. Going to a store, again off with the sunglasses. But I want a continuous music experience during those times. 

Maybe I can hear the Bose Frames with them sitting on my head but that’s not really an exciting proposition. The same could be said for the daily commute. I don’t want to half-hear my music on the train and I’m sure my fellow passengers don’t want to hear my music.

There are two solutions. The first involves stopping the music. Your daily soundtrack begins and ends with the Bose Frames. Maybe that’s for the best. All those hours with earbuds or headphones in your ears means less time experiencing the world around you or connecting to your surroundings. Perhaps it’s good to just hit pause and let the world in every so often. 

Or, you can forget all of that and bring a pair of headphones with you. That way you can augment your augmented experience. Remove sunglasses and put your headphones on. Repeat that process as often as necessary. 

That solution has its own drawbacks. First, you have to carry another piece of tech. It’s a minor gripe but those charging cases for truly wireless earbuds add some bulk. You also don’t want to have to dig through your pocket or bag for a pair of wired headphones. If you need, or simply have a strong preference, to listen to something at all times then the Bose Frames are going to come up short.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the Bose Frames in the city. Bike rides were especially pleasant. They were just loud enough to provide a soundtrack while letting me remain aware of my surroundings. There were times when the music was drowned out by the wind or other sounds and I adjusted the volume accordingly. 

Longer walks were also made better with the Bose Frames. I wouldn’t suggest wearing them during a long run, because they’re not water-resistant, but I definitely recommend them for a day in the park.

If you live in the suburbs or metropolitan areas where there are more uninterrupted stretches of your day, or you drive to work, the Bose Frames are worth your consideration. 

I’m not shunning the Bose Frames to a life outside the city. Rather, you have to treat them as sunglasses first and headphones second. That’s part of the learning curve when trying new technology.

Battery life for the Bose Frames is a solid 3.5 hours of active listening time but your time may vary based on the listening volume. On standby, the Bose Frames have approximately 12 hours of battery life. That’s just below the standards for truly wireless earbuds, typically 4 to 5 hours of battery life fully charged with the added advantage of storing 10+ hours in a charging case. 

The Bose Frames opt for a proprietary charging cable. You’ll need to not forget it or lose it because your standard USB or Thunder cable won’t save you.

When worlds collide

Bose Frames are a great pair of sunglasses with the added bonus of being a pair of discreet headphones. Bose Frames are not a great pair of standalone headphones. That’s a fine balancing act to consider with new hardware.

At $199.95, there are enough limitations that prevent me from saying the Bose Frames are a “must buy.” But a great pair of sunglasses can cost that much and that’s something to consider. If you’re thinking of them as sunglasses first, with the added bonus of using them in the car or during a walk, then it may be worth the price for you.

I was impressed with the design and innovation by Bose. It’s clever and mostly works. I’m excited to see the next generation of Bose Frames that includes Android support for AR apps and a range of colors for them as well.