Bose Sues Beats for Patent Infringement Over Noise-Cancelling Headphones

[MacLC]

Gosh dang those are ugly headphones.

Beats headphones are like the iPhone 5c and the Bose are like the 5S.

Ugly indeed.

In other news I don't get the anti-Bose hate. My boss rocks his Bose "Noise Canceling" headphones and he claims they work perfectly!

Either that or he's just ignoring everybody

 

[Dilster3k]

I actually hope they win, wipe those terrible products off the market & let them pay a huge bill to Bose.

 

[DakotaGuy]

Well I guess Apple's next move is to end its close friendly association with Bose. Bose speakers will soon disappear from Apple Store shelves. LOL

But the timing is disingenuous. They decide to sue Beats only after cash-rich Apple takes it over? Why only now?

Doesn't it take months if not years to properly research the competitors product and then build a proper lawsuit that will actually hold in court? I can't imagine Bose came up with all of this in the past few weeks. The timing might seem planned, but there is no way they just started on this when they heard Apple was buying Beats.

That is what I am thinking as well. Buy the damn thing. It is probably a better technology purchase and acqui-hire compared to Beats.

One possibility is to renegotiate Beats for a few hundred millions less ( in case due diligence did not reveal the IP issues due to hiding by Beats ) and buy Bose with that money. Just saying...

Bose is a private company and it's not for sale. MIT was gifted a majority of the stock in the Bose Corporation by the late Dr. Bose and it cannot be sold.

Read this and tell me how Apple will just buy Bose...

http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2011/bose-gift

 

[Bsouth]

I have Bose Dock 10, the bluetooth portable speaker, Over ear headset, fitness earbuds, companion 3 and I don't regret it one bit. I have seen less negative reviews compared to Beats. I would rather have quality sound and professional design then I would take headsets that are "hip" and look like a dork with them hanging around their neck as they walk into a Krogers store in a small country town.

 

[ray6712]

I have Bose Dock 10, the bluetooth portable speaker, Over ear headset, fitness earbuds, companion 3 and I don't regret it one bit. I have seen less negative reviews compared to Beats. I would rather have quality sound and professional design then I would take headsets that are "hip" and look like a dork with them hanging around their neck as they walk into a Krogers store in a small country town.

Wow so your basing your argument solely on the looks of the people that wear them, These whole Beats purchase has brought out the worse in people on this board truthfully.

I understand of you don't like a product I do yet you don't have to purchase it. What I don't understand is how quick to judge we as responsible people have become

 

[bearcatrp]

It's ridiculous that these companies can sue for these vague patents which cover things like "design," "look" or "feel."

So you agree it was rediculous apple sued samsung for the rounded edge?

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Hilarious! They waited until Apple bought Beats.

Deal is not closed yet. Probably won't happen now.

 

[vinny3101]

Go bose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :d

 

[JobsGang]

I actually hope they win, wipe those terrible products off the market & let them pay a huge bill to Bose.

Why would you want them off the market?Your not forced to buy beats headphones.

 

[diazj3]

Hilarious! They waited until Apple bought Beats.

Well, if the purpose of most (any) patent infringement lawsuit is to get compensation from said infringement, it's a brilliant move. I don't think Bose is issuing this lawsuit as a friendly cease and desist.

Plus, a tip of my hat to Bose for having the, lets say courage, of going at it with one of the world's biggest patent trolls: Apple. Either they are being too bold, or they have some serious evidence supporting their claims. Apple is not entirely innocent when it comes to patents, and it's certainly not unbeatable in the courts.

 

[SPUY767]

One crappy headphone company suing another crappy headphone company

While 99% of the time, the Bose tagline would more accurately read, "More money through marketing," the QuietComfort 2 headphones are pretty damned fantastic. That said, I wouldn't buy a set of Bose speakers to save my life. I remember when a friend of mine started talking up his amazing sound system, only to reveal to me a Bose 2.1. Bose is for people with money to burn, and questionable hearing.

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A majority of Bose is owned by MIT. A formidable entity. They also (according to Forbes) generate around 2 billion a year in sales. So hiring the best legal team to rep them should be no issue whatsoever.

I was unaware that they were part owned by MIT. That being the case, I would expect their products to actually perform well, and that simply isn't the case. If I were MIT, I would attempt to distance myself from that relationship. Although, given that I was unaware of the association, perhaps that's exactly what they're doing.

Apple generates 2B in sales in less than a week.

 

[BigCanoe]

Awesome!

 

[cmvsm]

Dr. Dre, the 'attention to detail' business man is laughing all the way to the bank. Apple should have thought twice on this one. Overpriced headphones that infringed on other's patents to get there. At least Samsung had some saving graces of reputation in the realm of LCD's before its tussle with Apple.

 

[DakotaGuy]

While 99% of the time, the Bose tagline would more accurately read, "More money through marketing," the QuietComfort 2 headphones are pretty damned fantastic. That said, I wouldn't buy a set of Bose speakers to save my life. I remember when a friend of mine started talking up his amazing sound system, only to reveal to me a Bose 2.1. Bose is for people with money to burn, and questionable hearing.

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I was unaware that they were part owned by MIT. That being the case, I would expect their products to actually perform well, and that simply isn't the case. If I were MIT, I would attempt to distance myself from that relationship. Although, given that I was unaware of the association, perhaps that's exactly what they're doing.

Apple generates 2B in sales in less than a week.

Bose products don't perform well? I have never had an issue with the "performance" of Bose products since they are usually well made, last for years, and just work. I understand sound quality is subjective and most self proclaimed audiophiles don't care for the signature Bose sound because they feel it's too colored and performs too many mind tricks. One thing a person must remember is that Bose is not hi-fi and with the possible exception of properly set-up 901s it has never been hi-fi. It's more mid-fi equipment that focuses on style and user experience. Big, loud (even if inaccurate) sound in a small package has always been Bose's thing.

With that said, they are top notch when it comes to noise canceling and really do out perform the competition. When Bose says they spent years and years perfecting noise canceling I believe them after owning a pair of QC15s. The in-ear 20s are suppose to perform even better. There is no way Dr. Dre figured out how to cancel noise using all of his own technology in the short time Beats has been a company. I honestly think Bose may very well have a solid case here.

 

[winston1236]

Fascinating that they wait until Beats is acquired by someone with deeper pockets. Good luck getting any money, though. If Bose ever gets a payout, it'll be ten years down the road. And the general impression I get from people who work in the speaker business is that Bose isn't really that good.

Nah, Apple will pay out to kill the bad press.

 

[bobbyd38]

Nothing to do with Cosmetics!

Bose is suing for the blatant use of their technology that provides Noise cancelation… read the Court Doc, nothing in there about "design look or feel". The Lawsuit specifically covers 5 patents in the electronic Noise canceling technology. It's about the huge investment in Research and development that Bose spent 15 years perfecting the technology, and then Beats comes along, steals it, profits off it, with their only investment being Reverse engineering someone else's hard work.

It's ridiculous that these companies can sue for these vague patents which cover things like "design," "look" or "feel."

 

[bobbyd38]

Correction - Here are the Facts!

Bose isn't just part owned by MIT, before his death, Dr. Bose donated his share of the company, estimated to be 66% to MIT albeit with no control or voting rights of the company what-so-ever. This was his way to both give back to the institution that he loved so much (did you know he was a Professor at MIT for over 40 years) and keep Bose Corp. privately held indefinitely.

Ohh and obviously you've NEVER objectively listened to a Bose system, stop listening to or ACTING like a so-called Audiophile! Music is in the Ear of the beholder, and millions upon millions of people around the World, buy and continue to buy Bose products! Bose is the single most successful Audio company in the world… going strong for over 50 years, while many others have petered out along the way.

While 99% of the time, the Bose tagline would more accurately read, "More money through marketing," the QuietComfort 2 headphones are pretty damned fantastic. That said, I wouldn't buy a set of Bose speakers to save my life. I remember when a friend of mine started talking up his amazing sound system, only to reveal to me a Bose 2.1. Bose is for people with money to burn, and questionable hearing.

----------



I was unaware that they were part owned by MIT. That being the case, I would expect their products to actually perform well, and that simply isn't the case. If I were MIT, I would attempt to distance myself from that relationship. Although, given that I was unaware of the association, perhaps that's exactly what they're doing.

Apple generates 2B in sales in less than a week.

 

[globalhemp]

Apple to Aquire Bose?

It always made more sense for Apple to acquire Bose, ... then several years later Apple choose to acquire Beats instead.

It still will make sense to get more into stereo systems:

1. Homes (Apple TV)
2. Autos (CarPlay)
3. Headsets (iPod, iPhone & Beats)

 

[jstomasi]

Beat Down of Bose due to lack of innovation

For years Bose was considered the Gold standard by NON-Audiophiles. The average consumer saw bose as a quality product with decent sound. Much like the sony walkman, they had the market cornered. It is the perception of what their products stood for that made the difference. Bose also innovated a long time ago with surround sound solutions that appealed to the masses because of the "wife" factor where they do not want ugly speakers in plain sight.

Fast forward to today, and Bose, is now the IBM of their time. Failure to innovate and improve your products. Failure to appeal to the younger demographic, means you loose your spot at the top. It just goes to show you, product placement is everything today. The first time we really saw those "b" branded headphones was on America Idol, with this guy most people did not know existed, who was touted as the master of knowing everything good about picking bands and recognizing quality sound/audio. BAAM, a few years later and they are at the top. Now that Apple has taken an interest, and they see the Bose profit margin and market share taking a beating, they are finally waking up.

If in fact beat acquired technology by reverse engineering other products, well that for the lawyers and experts to decide. In the end, maybe what consumer will win.

What will be interesting is if they can recover, or if the new kid on the block will continue to make incremental improvements, to hold the title of sub-standard consumer champion.

 

[flur]

The whole idea of "noise canceling" is to wear "cans" around the entire ear so you block out external noise e.g. plane noise, crying kids, barking dogs in the neighborhood, sirens, yada-yada.

Are Bose best? No idea
Are Beats? Probably not, but they look cool.

So, there must be other noise canceling "can rigs" out there for well under $1,000 that blow these two away. Anybody?

Nope, Bose are the best noise cancelling headphones in the business. Hands down. Ask anyone who flies a lot (like me). You can try everything else, they are the best.

Thing about noise cancelling is that it doesn't have anything to do with music. The highs and lows and whatnot don't make a bit of difference in whether or not you get a headache from sitting just behind the engine or from the baby that's been wailing for six hours in the row in front of you. So it doesn't matter what you think of Bose's sound profile when it comes to best in the business for noise cancelling.

 

[flur]

Yes, you don't sue until there is a great potential for a payoff. It is smart business to wait if your patents are being infringed upon

Actually, no, it's not. Every time someone infringes and you don't sue, you're weakening your case for the next time. It's more likely that Bose wasn't waiting, they were building their case.

 

[cmaier]

Yes, you don't sue until there is a great potential for a payoff. It is smart business to wait if your patents are being infringed upon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laches_(equity)

Careful with that.

 

[SPUY767]

Bose products don't perform well? I have never had an issue with the "performance" of Bose products since they are usually well made, last for years, and just work. I understand sound quality is subjective and most self proclaimed audiophiles don't care for the signature Bose sound because they feel it's too colored and performs too many mind tricks. One thing a person must remember is that Bose is not hi-fi and with the possible exception of properly set-up 901s it has never been hi-fi. It's more mid-fi equipment that focuses on style and user experience. Big, loud (even if inaccurate) sound in a small package has always been Bose's thing.

With that said, they are top notch when it comes to noise canceling and really do out perform the competition. When Bose says they spent years and years perfecting noise canceling I believe them after owning a pair of QC15s. The in-ear 20s are suppose to perform even better. There is no way Dr. Dre figured out how to cancel noise using all of his own technology in the short time Beats has been a company. I honestly think Bose may very well have a solid case here.

Put another way, the products don't perform to their price point. They are far outpaced by many other less expensive manufacturers.

 

[nia820]

bose is better anyway.

 

[kdarling]

At $1,299 for a pair of these in-the-ear phones, not a chance!

The whole idea of "noise canceling" is to wear "cans" around the entire ear so you block out external noise e.g. plane noise, crying kids, barking dogs in the neighborhood, sirens, yada-yada.

Headphone structure like that is used as a passive sound barrier, but is not necessarily needed for a good noise canceling headphone.

Active noise canceling headphones use a processor to generate a sound wave that's 180 degrees out of phase of the incoming noise, and that effectively cancels the noise.

That can be done either with large headphones or in-the-ear monitors.

 

[kyriostrife]

I asked this in a separate thread with no results so I figured I'd ask here.

Can anyone give me a good suggestion for wireless, noise cancelling, over the ear headphones for <$400 other than beats wireless?

I know I know... wireless and noise cancelling means two strikes against the sound quality already. Not expecting superb sound quality whatsoever. Just want something I can workout in and that I can travel with. I fully expect these to not have amazing sound quality.

I already have m50, ue6000, v-moda lp, and ue custom IEM at home, so I'm willing to forgo sound quality for the aforementioned features. Over the ear is important for comfort. Don't want in-ears anymore and I don't want to workout with my custom IEMs.

The ue9000 could've been an option but I can't find it anywhere. I'm not a fan of the weight of the parrot zik. I've tried on the samsung level over and they're not terrible but they are a little bulky for sure.