Bose Frames
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| Bose Frames | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Audio AR (historical Bose AR software)[1] |
| Type | Smart glasses |
| Subtype | Audio Glasses |
| Platform | iOS, Android (historical software)[1] |
| Creator | Bose[2] |
| Developer | Bose Corporation[2] |
| Manufacturer | Bose[2] |
| Announcement Date | December 4, 2018 (Alto/Rondo)[3] |
| Release Date | January 2019 (announced US availability, Alto/Rondo)[3] |
| Price | Original: US$199.95 in May 2019[4]; 2020 models: US$249 at announcement[2] |
| Website | https://www.bose.com/bose-frames |
| Versions | Alto, Rondo, Soprano, Tenor, Tempo[2] |
| Requires | Paired Bluetooth audio device; app requirements vary[5] |
| Display | |
| Display | None; audio output rather than a visual overlay[4] |
| Optics | |
| Optics | UV-blocking sunglass lenses[6] |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | Nine-axis head-motion sensor (original Bose AR)[3] |
| Rotational Tracking | Head orientation (original Bose AR)[1] |
| Positional Tracking | Location from phone GPS (Bose AR)[1] |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Original: miniaturized temple speakers, open-ear[7] |
| Microphone | Original: integrated right-temple microphone[5] |
| Camera | No imaging camera in the original audio-AR design[4] |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth audio[5] |
| Ports | Alto/Rondo: magnetic pogo-pin cable[6] |
| WiFi | No Wi-Fi connection on Alto/Rondo; Bluetooth audio[7] |
| Bluetooth | Up to 30 ft / 9 m range documented for Alto/Rondo[5] |
| Power | Rechargeable lithium battery (Alto/Rondo)[6] |
| Battery Life | Alto/Rondo: up to 3.5 h playback / 12 h standby (advertised)[3] |
| Charge Time | Under 2 h (Alto/Rondo, advertised)[4] |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | Alto S/M: 53 / 20 / 135 mm (lens width / bridge / temple; reproduced product specification)[7] |
| Weight | 45 g (Alto/Rondo; advertised)[3] |
| Material | Alto: nylon rims[7]; gold-plated steel hinges[3] |
| Color | Matte Black (Alto/Rondo)[3] |
| Sensors | Original nine-axis head-motion sensor; GPS supplied by phone[3] |
| Input | Alto/Rondo: button and Press & Turn[5] |
| Compliance | Original guides contain model-specific regulatory statements[6] |
The Bose Frames are audio-focused smart glasses developed by Bose Corporation. The original models were Alto and Rondo.[2] A microphone supports calls and the paired phone's voice assistant.[5] Tenor, Soprano and the sport-oriented Tempo followed in September 2020.[2]
The originals supported Bose AR, which combined head motion and phone location to add audio rather than graphics.[1] Bose's current family page says the glasses are no longer sold on its website and that owners remain supported. This does not establish continued AR-app availability.[8]
History and development
Bose presented its audio-AR platform and prototype eyewear at SXSW on March 9, 2018. Proposed navigation and contextual-audio uses were platform plans, not already shipped retail features.[1]
On December 4, 2018, Bose announced Alto/Rondo at US$199 for January 2019 US availability.[3] On May 2, 2019, Bose quoted US$199.95 and announced a regional launch schedule: Canada May 19, Italy May 23, several other European markets May 31, Australia June 13 and India June 20.[4]
Bose announced Tempo, Tenor and Soprano on September 10, 2020 as available that day at US$249 each. It described improved speakers and microphones, alongside model-specific construction and runtime changes.[2]
Models and physical design
Alto is larger and angular; Rondo is smaller and round. Both have gold-plated steel hinges and charging pins.[3] The dimensions below are reproduced lens/bridge/temple fit specifications, not overall bounding dimensions.[7]
| Model or fit | Documented design and fit | Advertised playback | Charging |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alto S/M | Angular; 53 / 20 / 135 mm[7] | Up to 3.5 h[3] | Magnetic pogo-pin cable[6] |
| Alto M/L | Angular; 54 / 21 / 136 mm[7] | Up to 3.5 h[3] | Magnetic pogo-pin cable[6] |
| Rondo S/M | Round; 51 / 22 / 135 mm[7] | Up to 3.5 h[3] | Magnetic pogo-pin cable[6] |
| Tenor | Smaller square; 16 mm speakers[2] | 5.5 h[2] | Custom pogo-pin cable[2] |
| Soprano | Cat-eye; 16 mm speakers[2] | 5.5 h[2] | Custom pogo-pin cable[2] |
| Tempo | Sport; 22 mm speakers[2] | Up to 8 h[2] | USB-C[2] |
Tempo has a TR90 frame, spring hinges, TPE temple tips and polycarbonate lenses. Tenor and Soprano have high-gloss frames.[2] Tempo's guide documents three interchangeable nose-pad sizes.[9]
Open-ear audio
The temple speakers direct audio toward the wearer. Bose claimed reduced leakage; this does not guarantee inaudibility or provide an independent acoustic measurement.[7]
Bose described the later speakers as offering improved bass and volume-dependent equalization. These are manufacturer claims; the launch material does not supply a controlled acoustic or cycling-safety test.[2]
Bose AR
Original Bose AR combined head orientation with phone GPS.[3] This was audio augmentation without a visual overlay or imaging camera, not optical six-degree-of-freedom tracking.[4]
At the December 2018 announcement, AR experiences were still in development.[3] By May 2019, Bose directed users to AR apps through Bose Connect and the iOS App Store.[4] Historical product material described Android AR apps as still in development; that restriction did not concern ordinary Bluetooth audio.[7]
OverHerd, by Worthing & Moncrieff, used head direction and angle for aiming and a double tap to launch a projectile. Its developer reports withdrawal from retail on July 15, 2020 because the underlying Bose audio technology was discontinued and its license terminated. This is the developer's account of that game, not a universal cutoff for Frames' Bluetooth functions.[10]
Lenses and water resistance
Bose advertised uniformly tinted original lenses as scratch- and shatter-resistant, blocking up to 99% of UVA/UVB.[3] The May 2019 collection added non-polarized Blue Gradient for both styles, polarized Mirrored Silver for Alto and polarized Mirrored Rose Gold for Rondo.[4] The 2020-copyright guide warns that lenses are not shatterproof.[6] The 2025-copyright guide excludes impact-protective use.[5]
The three 2020 models were described as prescription-ready with polarized lenses.[2] A Bose labeler-submitted US AccessGUDID record describes catalogue 833416-0100 as Bose Frames (Alto), model BMD0005, with an Rx option in the US. This record does not establish worldwide fitting or warranty terms.[11]
Original product material lists IPX2 dripping-water protection while warning against general water/sweat exposure and submersion.[7] Tempo's guide specifies IPX4, warns against swimming, showering and submersion, and says resistance can decline with wear. This rating is model-specific.[9]
Microphones and controls
The original right-temple microphone and button access a paired phone's Siri or Google Assistant, rather than an independent assistant in the glasses.[5] The 2020 models added a dual beamforming microphone array.[2]
Alto/Rondo use single/double/triple button presses for play-pause/next/previous, and press-and-hold for phone voice control. With compatible firmware and Press & Turn enabled in Bose Connect, holding the button and turning right/left raises/lowers volume. A button press powers the glasses on; holding it from the powered-off state enters pairing mode. The 2025-copyright guide still documents these procedures.[5]
The later models added right-temple touch volume control.[2] Tempo's guide documents swipe volume, double-tap phone voice control and button playback/calls. Its alternative touch-surface Press & Turn mode disables swipe volume when enabled.[9]
The Alto/Rondo and Tempo guides describe upside-down power-off after two seconds.[6][9] Alto/Rondo auto-off requires stopped audio and five minutes without movement.[6] Tempo uses ten minutes without movement and offers a motion-detection setting.[9]
Battery and charging
Alto/Rondo runtime estimates assume average listening levels.[4] Playback varies with content and volume.[7] The model table separates the later advertised runtimes; these are manufacturer estimates, not a common battery test.
Alto/Rondo's supplied cable attaches magnetically to right-temple contacts; their guide says audio does not play while charging.[6] Tempo charges by USB-C and likewise does not play while charging.[9] The original guide describes folding the arms into the supplied case and switching power off when unused.[6]
Connectivity and software
Product material specifies Bluetooth A2DP/HFP, up to 9 m (30 ft), with obstacles, interference and host implementation affecting range; it explicitly excludes Wi-Fi.[7] The original guide also covers audio from tablets and laptops, while phone location/AR apps need their own compatible workflow.[6]
The original guide covers Bose Connect and direct pairing through Bluetooth settings.[5] Tempo's historic guide uses the name Bose Music, stores eight pairings and allows one active audio source. This does not establish current app/OS minimums.[9]
The currently available 2025-copyright original guide documents continuing support information, not a new hardware release or verified operation of former AR apps.[5]
Research
A 2021 study by Anna N. Nagele, Valentin Bauer and colleagues used Bose Frames for Please Confirm you are not a Robot. Its iOS/Unity prototype combined Google Resonance Audio, head gestures and taps with phone-to-phone Wi-Fi; this was not Wi-Fi in the glasses. After a four-person pilot, 16 participants in four groups completed 1.5-hour sessions at the BBC in June 2019. Researchers operated the phones; questionnaires, observation, video and discussion supplied evidence.[12]
The convenience sample comprised 11 men and five women aged 24-40. Participants valued social interaction and hearing their surroundings, but reported confusing cues, missed gestures, disconnections and difficulty locating sounds. Roughly 200 ms head-tracking latency belonged to this setup. Limited diversity, fixed game order, interruptions and observer presence restrict the findings; this was not a general safety or audio-quality test.[12]
A separate 2020 study by Mark McGill and colleagues examined TV audio augmentation with Bose Frames. Twelve university-recruited participants tried TV sound alone, selected TV audio channels duplicated on the glasses, and a full stereo mix duplicated on the glasses. A second part added audio description, director commentary and an alternate language. The lab prototype used Unity and NAudio on a PC; the researchers connected the Frames by the Bose AR SDK's USB debugging feature and manually aligned the audio streams. This wired experimental arrangement did not test ordinary Bluetooth synchronization with a television.[13]
Participants generally preferred some form of synchronized Frames audio to TV sound alone, with the full mirrored mix favored overall. However, effects and music played through the glasses could obscure dialogue coming from the TV. The authors note that the comparison used a low-end television, short clips and individual participants in a laboratory; it did not test groups watching together or people with visual impairments. The results support a prototype use case under those conditions, rather than a ready-made TV feature or a clinical accessibility claim.[13]
Comparison with audio glasses
This comparison identifies the generation and source scope for each column. Prices are historical US announcement prices where supplied, and battery figures are manufacturers' claims under their own conditions. A dash means that a comparable figure is not supplied here, rather than that the feature is absent. The table is not a current buying guide or a shared performance test.
| Feature | Bose Frames Alto/Rondo (2019) | Ray-Ban Meta collection announced in 2023 | Amazon Echo Frames generation announced in 2023 | Fauna Audio (the four styles in its product infosheets) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | US$199 at announcement[3]; US$199.95 in May 2019[4] | From US$299[14] | From US$269.99[15] | - |
| Camera | No imaging camera in the audio-AR design[4] | 12 MP[14] | - | - |
| Display | No visual overlay[4] | - | - | - |
| Audio | Bose open-ear speakers[7] | Custom open-ear speakers[14] | Open-ear speakers[16] | MEMS microspeaker and electrodynamic woofer in each temple[17] |
| Assistant | Paired phone's assistant[6] | Meta AI, US beta at launch[14] | Alexa[16] | Voice-assistant support[17] |
| Weight | 45 g advertised[3] | - | - | 50 g in the product sheets[17] |
| Battery | Up to 3.5 hours playback[3] | - | Up to 6 hours continuous media playback[16] | Up to 4 hours playback[17] |
| UV protection | Up to 99% UVA/UVB advertised[4] | Lens options vary; no UV figure compared here[14] | UV400 sunglass option[16] | UV400 in the product sheets[17] |
Practical limits
Open ears do not guarantee complete listening privacy, all-day comfort or safe use in traffic. The original guide calls for volume low enough to hear surrounding warnings.[6]
The original audio-AR design had no visual overlay.[1] Historical AR-app availability must be distinguished from ordinary Bluetooth playback, as the specific OverHerd withdrawal illustrates.[10]
Technical specifications summary
This summary concerns the original Alto/Rondo, unless a model is named explicitly. Ratings and dimensions are attributed manufacturer specifications.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Audio sunglasses; no visual overlay[4] |
| Audio | Bose open-ear temple speakers[7] |
| Battery | Advertised up to 3.5 h playback / 12 h standby[7] |
| Sensors | Nine-axis head sensor; phone GPS[3] |
| Microphone | Original right-temple microphone[5] |
| UV protection | Up to 99% UVA/UVB advertised; lens options vary[4] |
| Weight | 45 g advertised, Alto/Rondo[3] |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth A2DP/HFP; up to 9 m / 30 ft[7] |
| Compatibility | Bluetooth phone/tablet/laptop audio; AR requirements separate[6][7] |
| Price | US$199 (December 2018)[3]; US$199.95 (May 2019)[4] |
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Bose introduces audio augmented reality platform". Bose. 2018-03-09. https://www.bose.com/pressroom/bose-introduces-audio-augumented-reality-platform. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 "New Bose Frames - new for sports, new for style". Bose. 2020-09-10. https://www.bose.com/pressroom/new-bose-frames. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 "Bose announces Frames - a revolutionary new wearable". Bose. 2018-12-04. https://www.bose.com/pressroom/bose-announces-frames-a-revolutionary. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 "Bose announces global availability new lens collection for revolutionary Bose Frames". Bose. 2019-05-02. https://www.bose.com/pressroom/bose-announces-global-availability-new-lens-collection-for-revolutionary-bose-frames. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 "Frames owner's guide (AM833564-0010 Rev. 03; copyright 2025)". Bose. https://assets.bosecreative.com/m/1286ae4387747108/original/833564_OG_ALTO-FRAMES_enUS.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 "Frames owner's guide (AM829195-0010 Rev. 02; BMD0003 and BMD0004)". Bose (original manual hosted by Soan). https://www.soan.cz/sites/default/files/obsah/produkt/bose-audio-slunecni-bryle-alto/soubory/uzivatelskymanualboseframesaltoen.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 7.17 "Bose Frames Alto product material and specifications". Bose product material (Flixmedia). https://media.flixcar.com/delivery/mobile/show/5422/in/1639638. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Bose Frames". Bose. https://www.bose.com/bose-frames. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 "Frames Tempo owner's guide (AM856768-0010 Rev. 00)". Bose (original manual hosted by Abt). https://content.abt.com/documents/111064/856768_og_frames-tempo_en.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "OverHerd - discontinued". Worthing & Moncrieff. https://www.worthingandmoncrieff.com/oh.html. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Bose Frames: BMD0005, DI 00017817805704". AccessGUDID, US National Library of Medicine. 2024-01-01. https://accessgudid-beta.nlm.nih.gov/devices/00017817805704. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Nagele, Anna N.; Bauer, Valentin; Healey, Patrick G. T.; Reiss, Joshua D.; Cooke, Henry; Cowlishaw, Tim; Baume, Chris; Pike, Chris (2021-02-12). "Interactive Audio Augmented Reality in Participatory Performance". Frontiers in Virtual Reality 1: 610320. doi:10.3389/frvir.2020.610320. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 McGill, Mark; Mathis, Florian; Williamson, Julie; Khamis, Mohamed (2020). "Augmenting TV Viewing using Acoustically Transparent Auditory Headsets". Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Interactive Media Experiences: 34-44. doi:10.1145/3391614.3393650. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 "Introducing the New Ray-Ban | Meta Smart Glasses". Meta. 2023-09-27. https://about.fb.com/news/2023/09/new-ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Amazon Unveils Next Generation Echo Show 8, All-New Echo Hub, and New Echo Frames". Amazon. 2023-09-20. https://press.aboutamazon.com/2023/9/amazon-unveils-next-generation-echo-show-8-all-new-echo-hub-and-new-echo-frames. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 "Introducing Amazon's all-new lineup of smart glasses: A first look at the 7 new styles of Alexa-powered eyewear". Amazon. 2023-09-20. https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/introducing-next-generation-echo-frames-carrera-smart-glasses-with-alexa. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 "Fauna product infosheets: Memor Havana, Spiro Transparent Brown, Levia Black and Fabula Crystal Brown". Fauna Audio GmbH (original sheets hosted on IndiaMART). https://5.imimg.com/data5/SELLER/Doc/2023/6/312617959/VF/CD/CK/4660951/fauna-bluetooth-smart-sunglasses.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-15.