American audio giant Bose has found an unlikely dance partner in India’s homegrown wearables brand – Noise. This strategic alliance, sealed with a $10 million investment giving Bose a 2.4% stake in the company, marks the first-ever such collaboration between Bose and an Indian brand.
“We are lucky to be in India… It’s a market so lucrative that everybody has an eye on it,” quips Amit Khatri, Noise’s co-founder, with the confidence of someone who just pulled off what could be considered a major coup in the audio industry.
The fruit of this harmonious partnership? The Noise Master Buds – a premium truly wireless earbud that brings Bose’s legendary acoustic engineering to a more accessible price point. These aren’t your garden-variety earbuds; they pack a punch with 49dB active noise cancellation, dual device connectivity, and spatial audio powered by 12.4mm drivers crafted from PEEK and Titanium.
But getting Bose’s stamp of approval wasn’t a walk in the park. “These guys come from a DNA where they have always looked at perfection,” Khatri reveals. The product underwent multiple iterations, with Bose’s teams training Noise’s personnel and testing the products in their labs. After all, as Khatri emphasizes, “If there’s a Bose logo, it has to be best in class”.
For Noise, currently ranking third in India’s TWS market with a 9.7% share and experiencing a 37% year-on-year growth, this partnership represents more than just a product launch. It’s their cannon to fire in the increasingly competitive audio segment, particularly against Chinese brands.
While 85% of Noise’s portfolio is manufactured locally, the Master Buds are currently being imported from Southeast Asia. However, Khatri assures that production will eventually shift to India once the product stabilises .
As India’s first homegrown brand to achieve global recognition – ranking third worldwide in the smartwatch category – Noise isn’t just making noise; it’s orchestrating a symphony of success . With Bose’s technical prowess and Noise’s market understanding, this collaboration could well be music to the ears of Indian consumers looking for premium audio experiences without breaking the bank.
