Innovations/achievements

But maybe the most important principle we live by is that innovation is not a destination, but a journey requiring new ideas from new players. So we invite creators, inventors, dreamers and talented people from all walks of life to bring their big ideas, passion and enthusiasm to a career at Bose. See how you can be part of our innovation.

1929: Birth of Amar Gopal Bose
Born in Philadelphia, PA, to a Bengali father (Noni Gopal Bose) and a US-born mother of English and German ancestry (Charlotte).

1930s: Developing a keen ear
For many years, young Amar Bose studies violin (reluctantly, like many children), developing a keen ear and a lifelong appreciation for classical music.

1940s: From first startup to city’s largest radio repair store
Though just a teenager, Amar Bose repairs broken radios in his parents’ basement to support his family when his father’s import business collapses during World War II.

1947: A father’s dream—accepted at MIT
Amar Bose fulfils his father’s dream for his son to attend the most prestigious technical university, as well as his own desire to pursue learning how to design electronics, rather than merely to repair them.

1948: Temporarily outclassed at MIT
Amar Bose finds himself much less prepared for MIT than his peers. In order to focus on his studies, he limits his free time (including listening to music) to only a few hours per week. By year’s end, he earns a full scholarship and will go on to earn a BS and MS in electrical engineering.

1953: Joins MIT’s legendary Research Laboratory of Electronics [RLE]
Amar Bose works on statistical communication theory at the RLE with three professors who become his lifelong mentors: Jerome Wiesner, Yuk Wing Lee and Norbert Wiener.

1956: Amar becomes Dr Bose
Amar Bose earns his doctorate in electrical engineering with a ground-breaking mathematical thesis, “A theory of nonlinear systems”, based on material originally sketched by world-renowned mathematician Dr Norbert Wiener.

1956: The passion for better sound begins
Dr Bose celebrates earning his PhD by buying himself a new hi-fi. Though he chooses the system based on his analysis of specifications, the sound quality of the winning design disappoints him. His curiosity about the discrepancy compels him to study and research acoustics at MIT in his spare time.

1957: Reluctant teacher
Dr Bose is recruited to join the faculty at MIT to teach “Introduction to Network Theory.” Despite his preference for research, he resolves to become the best teacher he can. In the process, he revolutionises what becomes the school’s largest undergraduate course.

1964: Founding of Bose Corporation
Rather than look for an established company to license his loudspeaker patents, Dr Bose launches his own company. By day, he and his two employees develop power-regulating systems for the military and other government agencies. By night, they explore acoustics and speaker design.

1966: First consumer product: 2201 speaker
The company introduces its first loudspeaker. Though the product technologically leapfrogs conventional speakers, its high price, plus the company’s naiveté in matters of marketing and sales, makes it largely unattractive to consumers. As a result, sales are dismal. Lesson learned: products need to be practical as well as innovative.

1968: Revolutionary 901 speaker changes the way people listen to music
Based on extensive research in the fields of speaker design and psychoacoustics, the ground-breaking speaker system wins immediate acclaim for its extraordinary ability to more closely approximate the essence and emotional impact of a live concert. A new focus on explanation and demonstration at retail helps to propel the 901 speaker to becoming a major commercial success.

1972: Beginning of global expansion
Through a relationship with an audio retailer in Bad Homburg, Germany, Bose products are sold outside the U.S. for the first time.

1972: Realising a dream
Early in the company’s history, Dr Bose had expressed a desire to one day move his company’s headquarters from its offices in Natick to The Mountain, a prominent location in Framingham, MA. Though it required a major financial investment for a company of its size at the time, his persistence in pursuing this goal is finally rewarded.

1972: Birth of Professional Products Division
After noting that professional musicians were using Bose 901 speakers as PA speakers and onstage monitors, the company develops the Bose 800, which maximises sound quality through use of an equaliser and eight 11.43 cm drivers. A new division is born that will make a number of major technological advancements in the coming years.

1975: World’s top-selling loudspeaker introduced
Bose® makes lifelike sound available in bookshelf-size speakers. Thanks to its quality and affordability, the Bose 301 Direct/Reflecting speaker becomes the world’s best-selling speakers for many years to come.

1978: Quest for noise cancelling technology begins
On a transatlantic flight aboard Swiss Air, Dr Bose is disappointed by how the sound produced by the then-new electronic headphones he’s been given is marred by aeroplane noise. He conceives the mathematics for noise cancelling headphones before the flight touches down hours later.

1982: First premium sound system debuts in a Cadillac Seville
Bose launches an entirely new sound category, becoming the first company to offer factory-installed sound systems custom-engineered to the acoustics of a specific vehicle model.

1984: Ground-breaking high-fidelity room-filling sound from a compact tabletop system
A decade of Bose® research results in patented acoustic waveguide technology that packs the performance of a large, multi-component system into a compact, all-in-one system. The Acoustic Wave music system is introduced and immediately receives high praise.

1986: Prototype noise cancelling headphones make historic flight
Though Bose active noise-reducing headsets are still in development, the company makes two prototypes available to preserve the hearing of pilots Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager on their record-breaking, non-stop, around-the-world voyager flight.

1987: Acoustimass 5 redefines home stereo
Using newly patented Bose technologies, tiny cube speakers are able to deliver concert-like sound, while the bass module, which provides the deep low frequencies, can be hidden out of sight. Within a few years, Acoustimass systems become a new standard in home hi-fi and go on to dominate the emerging home cinema market.

1987: Inventors of the year
Dr Bose and Dr William R. Short win the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation’s Inventor of the Year Award for the waveguide loudspeaker system.

1988: First-ever official Olympics sound system supplier
Bose becomes the first company contracted to provide sound systems for every event at the winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada.

1989: First commercial Acoustic Noise Cancelling headset
Bose revolutionises flying for pilots by introducing a headset that provides effective noise reduction and communication, as well as comfort.

1990: A new standard in home audio
Bose Lifestyle systems take home audio to a new level of performance and simplicity, eliminating the need for the massive speakers and racks of components.

1991: Investigating cold fusion
Assembling a team of physicists, chemists and materials scientists, Bose conducts several years of experiments in an attempt to prove or disprove cold fusion. The research exposes a flaw in the original research and precisely accounts for the erroneously reported excess energy effect in cold fusion theory.

1993: Bose Wave redefines radio
Bose patented acoustic waveguide speaker technology is reintroduced in a small tabletop music system. It redefines the concept of a radio by delivering rich, deep sound not previously heard from such a small unit. Though at $349, it costs nearly ten times the price of an ordinary clock radio, the Wave radio goes on to become a product beloved by owners, and a huge commercial success.

1993: First Bose store
Bose opens its first retail store in Kittery, Maine.

1994: A breakthrough in sound predictions
Bose® announces a new technology and tool that allows acoustical engineers and their clients to hear the sound a listener will experience in any particular seat in a venue—before the building is built or any sound equipment is installed. Over the years to come, the Auditioner audio demonstrator is used on thousands of projects throughout the world, including sound systems at the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome, the Grand Mosque in Mecca, and at Olympic and World Cup venues.

1997: First automotive usage of Bose Nd woofer
This ground-breaking Bose technology, which delivers powerful sound while taking up less space than an ordinary woofer, debuts in the Chevrolet Corvette.

1998: Aviation headsets get smaller, lighter, better
The new Headset X with innovative Triport technology improves pilot comfort while providing a level of noise reduction that’s comparable to the larger, heavier Bose models that had first established the active noise reduction category. The Headset X will go on to dominate the category, with Bose being voted as the no. 1 headset manufacturer for nine consecutive years in the Professional Pilot magazine survey.

1998: First international Bose store
First international store opens in New Delhi. In time, Bose will operate hundreds of its own stores on four continents.

1998: AudioPilot technology takes in-vehicle listening to new level
This revolutionary noise compensation circuit technology, which monitors and adjusts the music signal in response to vehicle speed and external noise, is introduced in the Cadillac Seville STS.

2000: Pioneering Bose® technology changes the way people fly
Building on the success of Bose Acoustic Noise Cancelling headset technology, the QuietComfort headphones forever change air travel for passengers by drastically reducing noise and providing better in-flight entertainment sound quality than ever before.

2001: A beloved and renowned MIT professor retires
In addition to being CEO of the company he founded, Dr Bose was a professor at MIT for 45 years. Awarded many times by students and faculty for his teaching, Dr Bose’s classes were renowned as some of the most challenging—and most popular at the institute.

2003: An entirely new way to amplify live music
By replacing conventional PA, floor monitors and backline amps, the Bose L1 system creates a breakthrough in live music amplification. It relies on the unusual properties of a special loudspeaker, 2.1 metres tall and only 12.7 cm wide, which is placed behind each individual musician.

2004: New Bose division: ElectroForce linear motion systems
Bose applies its linear-motion actuator technology to a new area and begins a new business through the Bose ElectroForce Systems Group, a leading supplier of materials testing and durability simulation instruments to research institutions, universities, medical device companies and engineering companies worldwide.

2004: Secret, multi-decade, non-audio research project unveiled
Bose shares the results of a secret project with the press and the automotive industry—a revolutionary automotive suspension technology that uses electromagnetic actuators instead of springs or hydraulics, for a ride that’s smoother than a luxury car and offers better handling than a sports car.

2004: Sound for iPod
The SoundDock digital music system quickly becomes the sound standard for iPod-compatible speaker systems, allowing iPod owners to listen unrestrained by earbuds, and share their music with others.

2008: Hall of Fame induction
Dr Bose is inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio, for achievements in audio technology that “have significantly influenced the quality of how we live”.

2008: International Design Team of the Year
Bose receives the prestigious Red Dot International Design Team of the Year award for continuous innovation and achievement in design.

2009: New standard in noise cancelling headphones
Already the market leader in noise cancelling headphones, Bose introduces the QuietComfort 15 headphones, a major advancement in noise cancelling technology. The product quickly becomes the gold standard for frequent flyers and becomes a major commercial success.

2009: First Energy Efficient Series sound system
The Chevrolet Volt becomes the first car to offer this technology, which delivers high-quality acoustic performance while using 50% less energy than conventional systems.

2010: New technology protects long-haul drivers from punishing road vibration
Utilising Bose seat suspension technology, the Bose Ride system replaces conventional air-suspension truck seats to provide over-the-road drivers with an unprecedented level of protection from harmful road-induced vibration.

2010: Better in-flight experience for pilots: A20® Aviation Headset
Bose® introduces its most advanced aviation headset ever, featuring greater noise reduction, improved comfort and Bluetooth® connectivity for GPS and cell phones.

2010: Home cinema experience is simplified and improved
Bose introduces the VideoWave entertainment system, a high-definition television delivering home cinema sound from a 16-speaker audio system built entirely behind the screen, and combines it with a totally new kind of remote control that drastically reduces complexity.

2010: Controlling vehicle noise through Active Sound Management (ASM) technology
Leveraging over 30 years of Bose research into acoustics and noise cancellation, this new technology debuts in the Cadillac Escalade and Infiniti M. It enables car makers to more effectively control vehicle cabin noise without compromising the vehicle’s desirable sound characteristics.

2011: A new standard in mobile sound
The SoundLink wireless mobile speaker wirelessly connects to a smartphone or other Bluetooth® enabled device, so that music can be shared out loud almost anywhere. It delivers an unprecedented combination of performance, mobility and durability.

2011: Dr Bose’s gift to MIT
Dr Bose donates a majority of Bose Corporation’s non-voting shares to MIT. The dividends on those shares are used to sustain and advance MIT’s education and research mission. The company will remain private and independent and continue to operate according to its values and guiding principles.

2013: Dr Amar Gopal Bose dies at age 83
“Dr Bose founded Bose Corporation almost 50 years ago with a set of guiding principles centred on research and innovation. That focus has never changed, and never will”. Bob Maresca, president and newly appointed CEO, Bose Corporation.

2013: Another breakthrough in noise cancelling headphones
The QuietComfort 20 headphones are the first in-ear noise cancelling headphones from Bose that deliver a stunning breakthrough in noise reduction, audio performance and comfort, and offer two ways to listen—one to shut out the world, and one to keep you connected. The company has been granted more patents for this product than for any other in its history.

2013: SoundLink Mini takes off
The ultra-compact SoundLink® Mini Bluetooth® speaker fits in the palm of your hand, connects wirelessly to a smart device or tablet, and delivers a new level of performance for personal, out-loud listening. It becomes the fastest-selling product in Bose® history.

2013: Revolutionising Wi-Fi® music listening at home
SoundTouch Wi-Fi music systems brings lifelike sound to every room in the home. Users can now stream music wirelessly from the Internet, music libraries and other music services, at the simple touch of a button.

2013: Premium sound: now in 15 global auto brands
Thirty years after Bose partnered with General Motors to pioneer the premium automotive sound industry, Bose systems are featured in over 100 vehicle models, from more than 15 manufacturers.

2014: Voted one of the “5 Most Innovative Brands” for the 7th consecutive year
Bose wins its seventh Plus X Award since 2007. The award is the world’s largest competition for technology, sports and lifestyle brands.

2014: Official Headphones and Headset of the NFL
Bose brings noise cancelling technology to the NFL, improving coaches’ on-field communication and enhancing the in-game experience for fans in the stadium and at home.

2014: The most respected name in sound
Bose® is known globally as the most respected name in sound. From two employees in a small office in Natick, MA to a business that spans continents and categories.

Today, the company remains private and independent, as committed to its founding principles and customers as it was in 1964. And today, Bose celebrates, honours and humbly thanks the millions of people around the world who have chosen Bose for the last five decades.

2015: The Panaray system moves passengers and critics alike
No matter what music you listen to in the Cadillac CT6, what you’re really hearing is Bose’s greatest hits. To create a truly premium experience worthy of Cadillac’s flagship vehicle, we adapted some of our best-performing innovations from all corners of the company. We used our headphones’ noise cancelling technology to help silence the noise of the road. To create sound where there were no speakers, we leveraged the array speaker breakthroughs first pioneered for home cinema products. We even featured anti-reverberation technologies from our own automotive research. The system is so finely tuned, it took our engineers three years to perfect it.

2016: Blurring the line between industry-defining performance and modern art
Constantly learning from our past achievements, we’ve developed a reputation for creating more powerful—yet somehow smaller—versions of our products with each new generation. But with the Lifestyle 650 home entertainment system, it’s not just the sound that turns heads. The glass top of the Acoustimass bass unit was custom crafted by the same company that’s famous for making windshields for Italian super cars. The satellite speakers are fashioned from a single piece of extruded aluminium with 4000 precision-drilled holes.

When presenting the prestigious Red Dot ‘Best of the Best’ Design Award in 2017, the jury said, “All elements of this system have been perfectly matched in terms of form and function. The compact and reduced design allows users to concentrate fully on the delivered sound quality.”

2017: Our software engineers begin working by a new code
When we released our first wireless headphones with active noise cancelling technology, they quickly became our bestselling product of all time. Just a year later, we introduced the QC35 Series II, which gave our listeners instant access to the Google Assistant. But to embed voice control into the QC35 II, we first needed to embed a team at Google. Working “bench to bench” with their coders, we did more than create the world’s first headphones with a dedicated Google Assistant button—we launched a whole new process for collaborative design.

2017: Improving conversations by hearing our customers
In 1997, a letter arrived on the desk of Dr Bose. Inside was a handwritten note from a customer asking if it would be possible for the company to develop a headphone that could help people hear their conversations as clearly as their music.

Meanwhile, across our campus, some of our R&D engineers had already wondered the same thing — and had begun work on their prototype. Simple as our customer’s question was, the answer was incredibly complex. Before Hearphones were ready to share with the world, it would take multiple teams and nearly 20 years of intermittent experimentation to develop and adopt the various new technologies we needed, including in-ear noise cancelling and user-adjustable tuning. But based on the letters we’ve received since launching Hearphones, it was worth the wait.

The future
We can’t wait. Because we’re just getting started.