Hands-On With Bose's 'Tenor' Audio Sunglasses

Bluetooth-enabled audio sunglasses have been trending lately, and Bose recently came out with the Frames Tenor, a set of high-end sunglasses that connect to your iPhone over Bluetooth, allowing you to listen to music without needing to bother with headphones.


We thought we'd check out the $250 Tenor audio sunglasses to see whether they're worth the cost for those who might be looking for an earbuds alternative.

bose tenor audio sunglasses 1
Bose's audio sunglasses look like normal sunglasses, and from the outside, it's not clear at a glance that there are built-in speakers. Design wise, the frames look as attractive as other sunglasses, though the arms are thicker to accommodate the acoustics and the built-in tap and swipe gestures for music control. These frames are on the larger side and might not fit smaller faces well.

By default, these come with standard sunglass lenses, but there is a prescription option for those who need prescription sunglasses. Adding prescription lenses costs another $127 minimum, with higher prices for progressive lenses, thin and light lens material, and other upgrades.

bose tenor audio sunglasses 3
The Bose Frames Tenor use Bose's Open Ear Audio technology, which is meant to provide high-quality sound from the arms of the sunglasses. Like bone conducting technology, the frames aren't exactly silent to those who are around you, but audio is noticeably better than what you get from bone conducting headphones. You're not going to achieve the volume that you get with in-ear earbuds like AirPods Pro, but the sound gets loud enough.

In terms of disturbing others, the sound coming from the Frames Tenor is similar to what someone might hear from you if you were listening to music loudly through standard headphones. It's not particularly disturbing and should be near silent to those who aren't right next to you.

bose tenor audio sunglasses 4
Since there's nothing in the ear, with the Frames Tenor, you can still hear what's going on around you, which is ideal for situations where you need to be aware of your surroundings, such as biking or running. Since these are in fact sunglasses, they're primarily limited to outdoor use unless you fancy wearing sunglasses indoors, which is something to keep in mind. They're not as practical as earbuds that can be used both indoors and out.

The frames are comfortable to wear, and again, with nothing in the ear, there's no ear fatigue to worry about, so these have the potential to be a useful accessory for those who can't stand earbuds and headphones. With the built-in battery, the frames last for up to 5.5 hours, and thanks to an included microphone array, calls sound good. Bose included a magnetic carrying case for storage purposes.

bose tenor audio sunglasses 5
Most people are probably going to prefer earbud options that are either more affordable or offer better sound quality and features, but for those who want outdoor-only audio sunglasses, the Frames Tenor are high quality and offer great audio while also not distracting from outside noises. What do you think of Bose's audio sunglasses? Let us know in the comments.

Tag: Bose

Top Rated Comments

Psychicbob Avatar
34 months ago
Ok if you built a career around doing Roy Orbison impressions
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TehFalcon Avatar
34 months ago
I got these for Christmas and I love them. Wear them everyday. They are especially awesome to wear inside a helmet on a motorcycle for some music!
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jclo Avatar
34 months ago

Too bad the lenses aren’t transition. Then they could be worn indoors, but honestly, whoever buys these will have a pair of BT earbuds anyway, so problem solved.
If you have a prescription you can get these with transitions lenses, but it's really expensive.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
schiltzs Avatar
34 months ago
I've used the Bose Sport version of these sunglasses many times while cycling and really love them. The sound is amazingly clear and the quality is far better than I would have thought. They enable me to hear everything around me while still enjoying music or audiobooks on those long rides where you are looking for a distraction. I feel perfectly safe with cars around me, as I can hear them coming from behind with no problem. The actual sunglasses themselves work fine - the polarization is excellent. I also use these when going for a run or walk - they stay secure to my head and don't bounce around or produce that 'thud' sound you hear sometimes in your ear when wearing in-ear headphones. They connect easily to both my Iphone and Apple Watch for those concerned about Apple connectivity. I typically get around 6 hours of use out of full charge.

I'd highly recommend these to anyone who wants good sound while still being able to hear their surroundings. These would probably be great for skiing for those in colder climates...
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RevTEG Avatar
34 months ago
My eye doctor carried the older models for awhile now. They can easily add prescription lens. I don’t own any yet but tried them on. They sounded great (for what they are) and I was surprised my family didn’t notice the audio. I expected the sound to be annoying to others.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Freak Avatar
34 months ago

This is so dumb. So I can only listen to music in sunlight? Unusable at night? Lol
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 With Bug Fixes, Plus iOS 17.0.2 for iPhone 15 Models

Thursday September 21, 2023 10:28 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates for the iPhone and the iPad, adding bug fixes to the new software. The iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates come just a few days after Apple launched iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. The software, which is build 21A340, can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There is a...
iPhone 16 Mock Header With Dynamic Island

Skipping the iPhone 15 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 16 Pro

Friday September 22, 2023 9:29 am PDT by
Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain...
Update Your iPhone 15 to iOS 17

Warning: Update Your iPhone 15 to iOS 17.0.2 Before Transferring Data From Another iPhone

Friday September 22, 2023 6:36 am PDT by
If you are unboxing an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max today, make sure to update the device to iOS 17.0.2 before transferring data to the device from another iPhone, or else you might encounter issues. iOS 17.0.2 is only available for the iPhone 15 lineup. Apple says the update fixes an issue that may prevent transferring data directly from another iPhone...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 double tap gesture 230912

watchOS 10.1 to Enable Apple Watch's New 'Double Tap' Gesture

Thursday September 21, 2023 12:52 pm PDT by
The new Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be enabled starting with watchOS 10.1, according to Marques Brownlee, host of the popular tech-focused YouTube channel MKBHD. The first beta of watchOS 10.1 will likely be available by next week, and Apple announced that the software update will be released next month. Brownlee shared his impressions...
emojipedia 15 1 emoji

Emoji Coming to Future iOS 17 Update Include Shaking Head, Brown Mushroom, Lime, Phoenix and More

Tuesday September 19, 2023 12:43 pm PDT by
As Apple was announcing new iPhone models last week, the Unicode Consortium was officially approving new emoji characters that are set to be added to smartphones starting in 2024. Mockup of new emoji from Emojipedia Approved Unicode 15.1 emoji include phoenix, lime, an edible mushroom, shaking head vertically (as in a "yes" nod), shaking head horizontally (a "no" head shake), and broken...
iPhone 15 Pro Fingerprints

Apple Says Fingerprints Can 'Temporarily Alter the Color' of iPhone 15 Pro's Titanium Frame

Thursday September 21, 2023 2:48 pm PDT by
In a support document updated today, Apple indicates that fingerprints might "temporarily alter the color" of the titanium frame on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Fortunately, Apple says this is not a permanent condition, as the fingerprints can be wiped off just like on any other iPhone to restore a clean finish. "For iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, the oil from your skin...