Bose has begun rolling out a firmware update for its $449 QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2 that adds support for Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast as beta features. This represents a significant milestone for Auracast, a broadcast audio technology that has struggled to gain traction since its official announcement in 2022, as Bose is one of the world's most recognisable headphone manufacturers.

The update, version 10.12.12, has been rolling out quietly in recent weeks and introduces Auracast alongside improvements to wired USB audio quality and better compatibility with web conferencing applications. Auracast allows a device to transmit Bluetooth audio simultaneously to multiple supported headphones or speakers, enabling uses such as airport announcements, live performances, university lectures, or in-home television viewing. Whilst competitors including Sony, JBL, Samsung and Sennheiser have already incorporated Auracast into select models, Bose's backing lends substantial credibility to the technology's mainstream potential, with the company planning to bring the feature to additional devices soon.