Bose is upgrading its popular QuietComfort QC-35 headphones to a second-gen model with Google Assistant built-in.
The new noise-cancelling cans sprout a dedicated Google Assistant 'action button' on the left earcup so you can ask questions or issue commands to the voice-assisted app without needing to reach for your smartphone.
That tell-Google-what-to-do roster includes choosing your music and managing your playlist (including skipping randomly-appearing Barry Manilow songs on Spotify), making phone calls, reading back a newly-arrived text message, creating calendar appointments and to-do tasks, as well as looking up flight numbers to check if your flight is on time.
The Bose Connect app also lets you set the default degree of noise cancellation for the QC35 IIs: keep it to maximum to shut out the rest of the world, wind it back so you can hear more of what's going on outside, or disable noise-cancellation entirely (why, we're not sure).
The QC35 II headphones go on sale today for the same $500 as the first-gen series, and are available in black or silver.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jul 2013
Total posts 35
Rumour has it they aren’t shipping with the airline adaptor included - can anyone verify (as I have some on back order)?
23 Sep 2017
Total posts 2
Simon - I can confirm that the airline adapter is no longer included with the new model. I received my new headphones on Friday. Aside from the adapter not being included, the headphones are great!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Sep 2015
Total posts 12
Airline adaptors are inexpensive to buy.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jul 2013
Total posts 35
I know - but it would be good to know if it was in the box like the older model.....
16 Dec 2016
Total posts 13
Does anyone know if the button could be paired with Siri instead for those of us using Apple products?
23 Sep 2017
Total posts 2
By holding the middle button on the right side ear cup for about 2 seconds, it will activate Siri when connected to an apple device. You can speak and hear her response via the headphones.
16 Dec 2016
Total posts 13
Thank you, Phil99. I really appreciate your reply! I might buy a pair now!
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Bose launches Google-friendly QC35 II headphones