Bose adds swipe volume controls to QuietComfort Earbuds and Sport Earbuds – The Verge

One of the few complaints I had in my review of Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds was that they lacked onboard volume controls. Well, a few weeks after they went on sale, the company has now resolved that.

In the latest update of the Bose Music app out today on iOS, there’s a new volume control option in settings. (Presumably this will be coming to the Android app imminently, as well.) Once you toggle it on, you’ll be able to swipe up and down on the right earbud to adjust how loud the audio is. This feature is available for both the QuietComfort Earbuds and less expensive Sport Earbuds. It’s something that was spotted in early user manuals for the earbuds but was removed before they shipped. I’m glad Bose has quickly moved to add this functionality, as it makes the premium earbuds more well-rounded when it comes to controls. And for Sport Earbuds owners, this means you won’t have to mess with your phone (or Siri or Google Assistant) in the middle of a workout or run if you need to change the volume.

Bose has also added an (optional) Spotify shortcut to its Noise Canceling Headphones 700. You can now set the headphones to launch Spotify on your mobile device with a tap and hold on the right ear cup. Other headphone makers, including Samsung, have previously added similar quick-access shortcuts to the popular streaming music service.