We had this discussion yesterday when this was posted somewhere else. This is not open sourcing. They opened up their api. The code is still very much closed source. Fake info, wrong title.
this post was submitted on 08 Jan 2026
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Right to Repair
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Whether it be electronics, automobiles or medical equipment, the manufacturers should not be able to horde “oem” parts, render your stuff useless if you repair it with aftermarket parts, or hide schematics of their products.
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it will be open-sourcing the API documentation
Not quite the same as what the title implies, but still a welcome step
When cloud support ends, an update to the SoundTouch app will add local controls to retain as much functionality as possible without cloud services.
This might be just as important.
Why not add local controls now?
I'm extrapolating but... Because it's not finished. That's why they extended the deadline.
I don't disagree with you, but they're stepping in the right direction, at least. That's worth something these days.
I used to be an app developer before I burnt out and started a distillery
I had some software that I owned and built which had a couple of customers. I struggled to make it a commercial success but they rely on it.
It needed a big update.
Instead of just dumping it, I make it open source, with a licence that says they can do anything they want with it, so long as they don't commercialise it and try to sell it (it's designed to be internal business software so use that no probs) and they need to contribute any changes back to the source code..
I think it was the fair thing to do, plus it stops me needing to support it and they can see what the road ahead of fixing it is like.
See this shit right here would incline me to look at Bose next time I need a new speaker.
This is how you build a brand people want to buy.
Every Bose product with Bluetooth I've ever bought was bricked with software updates. Really liked their stuff for a while there because it was great while it worked. I won't be trusting them again.
How does this happen? I have a few Bose bluetooth devices. Will I be safe if I just never use their app?
Every bluetooth device I owned got bricked just because.
I have a good amount of respect for how they treat their customers though. Have you tried reaching out to them? It's been a few years since I've interacted, but I even traded in my very old wired earphones that I had obviously damaged, for like a 50% discount on a new pair. They have always had like a trade-in esque program, but these were so old they weren't even on the site as an option for a trade in. Talked to a rep, and they just said fuck it, mail it in, and we'll honor i
They're also reasonably repairable which is nice. My QC35s have had 2 ear pad replacements and a headband replacement in the last 5-6 years. The battery seems to be a bigger job, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Yeah I imagine the batteries aren't as standardized and neat as in phones and whatnot
Look at my other comment down there. Bose is a little pricy, but they do (or did as little as just a few years back) have a great reputation (at least I think)
They do shit to retain customers that 99.99% of other companies would never consider, even if it costs them money short term. They will almost always have my business, but some of their wireless stuff has been a pain in the ass to me and other people apparently. Mainly trying to get like a few different model wireless speakers to work as like one speaker group in my case.
Solid quality speakers, and goo business practices (as good as a for profit business can be)
Based Bose ?
Bosed?