Bose is ending SoundTouch's cloud features, but not entirely killing the speakers

Bluetooth, AirPlay, and Spotify Connect will keep working without the cloud

by · TechSpot

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Facepalm: Manufacturers of smart home appliances are increasingly relying on planned obsolescence in an attempt to boost sales and inflate short-term profits. Some users are pushing back, however, since few in their right mind would willingly buy a device designed to stop working after a set period of time.

A few months ago, Bose announced that its SoundTouch speakers would soon lose most of their cloud-based functionalities. The US manufacturer, known for its premium-priced audio equipment, was effectively going to "brick" the wireless devices, citing the high cost of continued support.

Now, the company has partially revised its plan. After listening to customer feedback, Bose said the final discontinuation date has been moved from February 18 to May 6, 2026. While the smart speakers will still lose support for most cloud features, some functions will continue to work locally.

Bose's plan includes an automatic update for the SoundTouch app, to be released ahead of the new end-of-service (EOS) date. The updated app will enable features that do not require a cloud server. Users will still be able to stream music through Bluetooth, AirPlay, Spotify Connect, and AUX connections, and device configuration tools will remain functional.

Additional features of the new local app include remote music controls and the ability to group multiple speaker systems together. Missing cloud-based features include managing presets and browsing or playing music services directly through the SoundTouch app. Notably, SoundTouch devices and apps will receive no security or software updates past the EOS date.

Bose has also provided resourceful users with the means to theoretically extend support for "bricked" devices far into the future. The company sent affected customers an email containing the public documentation of the SoundTouch API, with the stated goal of enabling independent developers to create their own tools and features for the platform.

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When technology companies decide to end official support for a product, they are usually reluctant to provide any meaningful information that could facilitate third-party support. Custom tools may alter the original device in unexpected – and potentially risky – ways, which makes Bose's initiative noteworthy.

When a "smart" device is popular enough, developers can even bypass the manufacturer's official plans and create their own infrastructure for continued support. A recent example is Google's Nest line of cloud-based thermostats: after Google abandoned official support, the No Longer Evil project revived the devices with new custom firmware.