Apple is reportedly planning to remove all audio products with Bose branding from its retail stores for reasons unknown, a source revealed.
Apple, the renowned smartphone brand, has reportedly decided to get rid of all Bose audio products from its retail channels, a reliable source told MacRumors on Friday. The reason behind the strategic move remains unknown. According to the source, the change in the retail inventory will begin as early as next week after store employees receive instructions to make the switch.
With the change in effect, Apple Stores will no longer use Bose audio products as demo units to test its iOS and Mac products. The sales of Bose products, which include SoundLink Bluetooth speakers, Companion 2 Series III speaker, FreeStyle Earbud headphones and more, will also be stopped. Apple also sells a total of 17 Bose products through its online store, but there is no word on whether the exodus will affect the digital storefront.
Reasoning the departure of Bose products from Apple retail stores, MacRumors said the shift is in response to the recent acquisition of Beats Electronics, which includes the headphone division and the company's subscription music streaming service. By eliminating Bose from its retail channels, Apple is clearly making room for its Beats headphones, which will now sit on the shelves and be used as demo units.
In a separate report by 9to5Mac, the recent run-ins between Apple's Beats and Bose could also be the reason for terminating the retail partnership. Bose has accused Beats Studio and Studio Wireless headphones of infringing upon its "Adaptive Noise Cancellation" patents.
Bose also partnered with the National Football League and refrained its players from using Beats audio products during game days and practice. Earlier this week, the league fined the San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick $10,000 for challenging the ban and wearing a pink breast cancer awareness-themed Beats headphones during a game press conference last Sunday.
