Apple Reportedly Planning to Remove Bose Products From Apple Stores
Posted on October 11, 2014
Apple is reportedly going to remove Bose products from Apple Stores. Apple currently carries a number of Bose audio products, including speakers, headphones, earbuds and dock stations.
MacRumors reports that a source tells them the Bose product removals will begin next week. Bose and Apple have been battling over patents ever since Apple's Beats acquisition. Bloomberg reports that Apple has already settled one of the patent disputes over noise-canceling headphones.
The Bose product removals could be Apple retaliating because of the patent suits. Or, Apple could simply be wanting to focus on its Beats accessories and Bose could be one of several competitors scheduled to be removed from Apple's retail inventory. It should be obvious in a few weeks when we see what third party accessories remain in Apple stores for the holiday shopping season.
A similar Bose vs. Beats showdown is going on in the NFL. Bose has an exclusive marketing deal with the NFL. This deal cost San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick a $10,000 fine when he was photographed wearing Beats headphones on the field.
Update: In 2020 Apple stopped selling headphones and speakers from Bose, Logitech and Sonos in retail stores and online.