Bose in the age of streaming

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Editor's note: On 15 January, one of the most recognizable flagship brands of all time announced that it was on its knees. Granted that wasn’t the literal announcement, but the space between two sentences can sometimes be more revealing than a book. It was the day Bose Corporation—the sound equipment-turned-tech company that pioneered direct/reflecting and cube speakers, all-in-one stereos and noise cancellation—issued this statement: ...Given the dramatic shift to online shopping in specific markets, Bose plans to close its remaining 119 retail stores across North America, Europe, Japan and Australia over the next several months. In other parts of the world, Bose stores will remain open, including approximately 130 stores located in Greater China and the United Arab Emirates; and additional stores in India, Southeast Asia, and South Korea. ...As smartphones changed the industry, the company’s focus turned to mobile, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi solutions. Today, Bose noise-cancelling headphones, truly wireless sport earbuds, portable speakers, and smart speakers are increasingly purchased through e-commerce, including Bose.com... The intention was to underline that switching from brick-and-mortar to online is progression rather than compulsion. Bose ended …