Popular audio and headphones brand, Bose, revealed their plans to step into the fashion realm on Tuesday, as the Massachusetts-based consumer electronics company are giving music fans their first look at the new audio-enabled premium sunglasses known as “Frames.” The battery-powered sunglasses will function as wireless headphones, in addition to being fully AR compatible.
According to Bose’s announcement, the black sunglasses look very similar to a standard set of Ray-Ban Wayfarers, except Frames actually carry the functionality and performance of wireless headphones. A promotion-only version of the glasses were initially showcased down at Austin, Texas’ SXSW earlier this year, as seen in the video below.
The updated version(s) were revealed on Tuesday, which come in two styles, square and angled, or round and slightly smaller–because outfits should obviously come with options. The scratch and shatter-resistant shades have the capability of blocking up to 99% of UV rays, while featuring tinted lenses and gold-plated steel hinges with charging pins.
Bose ‘Frames’ Audio-Enabled Sunglasses
[Video: Engadget]
From a technical perspective, anyone who has ever purchased a pair of Bose headphones (if you haven’t, you 100% should add them to your holiday wish list immediately) should be pleasantly surprised at the audio capabilities of these sunglasses. In addition to streaming music, making calls, and accessing virtual assistants, the shades will keep any information such as playlists or conversations completely private. The audio will come from a “wafer-thin acoustic package” which can be found inside each of the sunglasses arms, rather than sticking some small bud, easily-losable inside your ears. The shades offer both touch and voice control through a small microphone located near the right temple. The multi-function button for power and pairing systems including Siri and Google Assistant can also be found near the microphone.
Frames are also AR compatible, making them the first commercial product released to market with an embedded Bose audio augmented reality platform. Bose AR won’t change what you see, but knows where you are and what direction you’re facing thanks to a 9-axis head motion sensor and the GPS from any connected iOS or Android device, while adding a layer of audio. The glasses’ lithium battery also lasts up to 3.5 hours.
“Bose Frames are both revolutionary and practical,” Mehul Trivedi, director of Bose Frames added in a statement to go with Tuesday’s announcement. “They look and act like classic sunglasses — until you turn them on. And then you’re connected to your phone, contacts, the web, and all its audible content, just like headphones. There’s nothing else like them.”
Frames will become available for public purchase starting January 2019, and come at a pretty reasonable price of just $199. Bose AR apps are also set to arrive sometime in the coming year. Take that Facebook and Amazon.
[Photos: Bose]
[H/T TechCrunch]
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