Decoder with Nilay Patel

How Bose compete with AirPods — and why it’s in more cars than ever, with CEO Lila Snyder

Nov 29, 2022

Lila Snyder, CEO of Bose, shares insights on the brand’s evolution and competition in the audio industry. She discusses Bose's challenges against tech giants like Apple and Google, particularly in the earbuds market. The conversation highlights the transition towards subscription models in electronics and how Bose integrates innovative technologies, including Dolby Atmos in cars. Snyder emphasizes fostering a passionate culture for attracting talent and shares the company's commitment to pushing audio boundaries while adapting to a rapidly changing landscape.

01:18:52

Episode guests

Lila Snyder

AI Summary

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Bose prioritizes high-quality sound and immersive experiences to compete with AirPods.

Bose collaborates strategically in hearing aid technology to navigate complex regulations and market accessibility.

Bose addresses social cues and stigma with hearing aids, focusing on user acceptance and adoption.

Deep dives

Bose's Focus on Music Lovers and Immersive Experiences in Headphones

Bose's primary focus revolves around catering to a specific audience - music enthusiasts and immersive audio aficionados. Noise cancellation is a significant selling point for Bose headphones, creating a foundational stage for immersive audio experiences. While competing with proprietary headphone systems from tech giants like Apple, Bose prioritizes providing high-quality sound and immersive experiences tailored to music lovers, ensuring differentiation and a unique customer experience.

How the Bose CEO Makes Decisions

02:09

Intro

4min

Innovating Audio: Bose's Journey

7min

The Evolution of Audio Experience

20min

Attracting Talent Through Passion Over Pay

4min

Bose's Audio Innovation Journey

21min

The Future of Subscription Models in Consumer Electronics

2min

Exploring Subscription Trends in Automotive Innovation

3min

Bose's Automotive Audio Revolution

16min

Innovations in Audio Experience and Future Prospects

2min

Bose is one of the most recognizable audio brands in the world: it was famous for the Wave radio in the 80s, it invented noise cancellation, you can see its logo on NFL sidelines every Sunday, and of course there are the popular consumer products like the QuietComfort headphones that reviewers like Chris Welch here at The Verge rate as some of the best in the game. Bose is in tons of cars as well: audio systems in GM, Honda, Hyundai, Porsche, and more are developed and tuned by Bose.

Bose was founded in 1964 by Dr. Amar Bose, who donated a majority of the shares of the company to MIT, where he was a professor. That means to this day, Bose is a private company with no pressure to go public. However, Bose still has to compete against big tech in talent, products, and compatibility.

So today I’m talking to Bose CEO Lila Snyder about Bose’s dependence on platform vendors like Apple and Google, how she thinks about standards like Bluetooth, and where she thinks she can compete and win against AirPods and other products that get preferential treatment on phones.

Links:

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II review: noise cancellation domination

How Amar Bose used research to build better speakers

List of Bose shelf stereos

Hearing Aids | FDA

Digital signal processor

Functional organization

Bose names its first female CEO as wait continues for new products

Amar Bose ’51 makes stock donation to MIT

Meta announces huge job cuts affecting 11,000 employees

Amazon mass layoffs will reportedly ax 10,000 people this week

Elon Musk demands Twitter employees commit to ‘extremely hardcore’ culture or leave