Bose may not be the indisputable audio giant it once was. boston globe resources They say the company has implemented “continuous layoffs” in recent years, with public data showing the company’s headcount has dropped from 9,000 in 2019 to 7,000 in 2021. Employees who left the job recently told the newspaper that Bose was falling behind its sales targets as new products became more difficult. Market including Frames audio glasses and SoundControl hearing aids. Competition from rivals like Apple and Sony is also believed to hurt Bose’s profits.
The latest layoffs in March reportedly laid off 245 jobs and eliminated the healthcare division responsible for hearing aids. The decision came despite the scrapping of a planned sleep headset product, according to insiders. CEO Lila Snyder undermined the group after an outside review suggested that Bose should stop working on hearing aids.
Spokesperson Joanne Berthiaume confirmed the latest layoffs. Sphere. He declined to comment on staff numbers or strategy, but called the recent layoffs a focus issue. He said they will help Bose focus on the “most important” products for customers. Berthiaume added that Bose is currently recruiting in other areas with 200 positions.
A shrinking workforce would not be surprising. While Bose is almost (if not always loved) synonymous with headphones and speakers, it’s competing in markets increasingly dominated by true wireless earbuds like AirPods, as well as smart speakers like Amazon and Sonos. Add in the niche nature of experiments like frameworks and it’s clear that the company doesn’t have as much opportunity to evolve as it once did.
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