Apple is one of the biggest companies in the world and owns or has acquired several companies over the years. Therefore, you may be wondering: does Apple own Bose?
Well, if you’re interested in the answer to that or other related questions, continue reading to learn what I’ve discovered about this topic!
Does Apple Own Bose in [currentyear]?
Apple does not own Bose in [currentyear]. In fact, when Apple acquired Beats by Dre, this put Apple and Bose in direct competition with each other in the headphone market. However, a lot of people wrongly believe that Apple does own Bose or acquired Bose, but there is currently no connection between the two companies.
Are you looking for more information, like whether Apple sells Bose products? If so, don’t stop reading yet because there’s so much more you need to know!
Is Bose a Part of Apple?
Bose is not part of Apple, nor is there any connection between the two other than the fact that they both sell headphones to consumers.
Rather, when Apple acquired Beats back in 2014, it put Bose and Apple in direct competition with one another within the headphone market.
Does Apple Sell Bose Products?
Apple no longer sells Bose products and it has removed Bose from its physical brick-and-mortar stores and removed Bose from the online store.
In addition, Apple removed other brands and stopped selling them at stores, including Sonos and Logitech to get consumers to buy Apple-branded audio products or buy Beats.
However, Apple released a statement saying that just making changes and regularly would switch out third-party accessories it carried based on the needs of customers.
Who Owns Bose Sound?
Bose Sound is owned primarily by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, since MIT owns a majority share of Bose.
Furthermore, in 2011, Amar Bose, the founder of Bose, donated his private shares of the company to MIT.
This is because MIT was his alma mater, and he was a professor there for almost 50 years.
Subsequently, this move by Amar is how MIT ended up as the majority owner of Bose.
Did Apple Collaborate With Bose?
In the past, Apple did collaborate with Bose to produce products for consumers, like the SoundDock, which was released in 2004.
Before that, Apple and Bose collaborated on another project in 1997, which was the Acoustimass Speaker System.
Will Apple Buy Bose?
It doesn’t appear that Apple will buy Bose in the future, since MIT owns the majority of Bose and the two are in direct competition with one another in the headphone market.
Also, except for the April Fool’s joke in 2018 that stated Apple bought Bose, there have been no real reports or rumors about Apple purchasing this company.
However, this doesn’t mean that at some point MIT won’t begin talks with Apple to purchase Bose, but we think this is highly unlikely given the current circumstances.
Why Didn’t Apple Buy Bose?
Apple doesn’t need to purchase Bose because it makes its own audio equipment and gear, including the AirPods, which are popular among iOS users.
Not only that, but Apple acquired Beats in 2014, so Apple has both its brand of headphones and audio equipment plus the Beats brand to keep up with.
For example, Apple has been investing money into and releasing products for Beats, and even though new Beats products are slow to be released, Apple plans on keeping Beats alive.
Is Bose Shutting Down?
In 2020, it was announced that physical brick-and-mortar Bose stores will be shutting down across the United States to focus on the online shopping market instead.
However, this doesn’t mean Bose is going out of business or closing its doors to new products, but is moving away from physical stores as consumer needs and demands have shifted.
To know more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Apple owns Beats, is AppleCare worth it, and is Apple Pay safe.
Conclusion
Apple doesn’t own Bose and has no plans to purchase it, since Apple acquired Beats by Dre in 2014. Therefore, this puts Apple and Bose in direct competition within the headphone market.
Furthermore, MIT is the majority owner of Bose, after founder Amar Bose donated his private company shares to MIT, which was his alma mater. However, an April Fools’ joke in 2018 was created with the headline that Apple purchased Bose, which is why there’s confusion.
