Guide · Audio Glasses
Bose Frames Are Discontinued: What to Buy Instead
Bose Frames were the audio sunglasses that made the category — Alto, Rondo, Soprano, Tenor and the sport Tempo. Bose phased the whole line out by the end of 2023 and has not replaced it. If you owned a pair, or you were about to search for one, here is what happened, what still works, and the three pairs that fill the gap today.
Written by Mike M. · Owner, Iron Mako Media
Published
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What happened
Digital Trends broke the news that Bose was phasing out the Frames line, with most inventory already sold through and some remaining stock available on Bose's site through the holidays; by the end of 2023 the Frames were no longer available. Bose said existing owners would continue to receive support and that active warranties would remain intact. Bose launched the Tempo, Tenor and Soprano generation in 2020 (Bose press room); the Tempo was engineered for outdoor workouts, the Tenor and Soprano for everyday style. No successor has been announced in the sources we could find.
If you own a pair
They still work as Bluetooth audio glasses with whatever phone you have; Bose support and warranty continue per Digital Trends. The things that will fail first are the battery (sealed) and the lenses (Bose sold swappable lenses for Tempo, Tenor and Soprano; third-party sellers still list them, which we do not rank). When they die, the replacements below are the current options.
What to buy instead, by what you used Bose Frames for
| You used Bose Frames for… | Buy | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Music and calls in sunglasses, no camera | Amazon Echo Frames (polarized sunglass lenses) | The only current camera-free audio pair with a spec sheet and named review; Alexa instead of Bose's assistant-agnostic setup |
| Runs and rides (Frames Tempo) | Oakley Meta Vanguard, or Echo Frames if you refuse a camera | Vanguard: IP67, nose guard, louder speakers, ~9 h; but sun lenses only and a camera |
| Everyday audio glasses and you don't mind a camera | Ray-Ban Meta Skyler or Meta Adventurer | Five-mic array, charging case, Meta AI, monthly updates; Transitions for indoors and out |
| A discreet heads-up display (Bose never did this) | Even Realities G2 | Text display, no camera, no speakers, 36 g |
The honest complication
Bose Frames were audio-first and camera-free. Today the best audio glasses hardware — Meta's five-mic arrays, the Vanguard's louder speakers, charging cases — all comes with a camera attached. If the camera-free part mattered to you, the Echo Frames are your only mainstream option and they are good, not great: Tom's Guide praised the improved bass and disliked the charging stand. If it did not, a Meta pair with the camera unused is more glasses. The audio glasses explainer walks through what open-ear audio can and cannot do on every pair.
Picks
The replacements
Camera-free audio (Echo Frames), audio plus a camera (Ray-Ban Meta Skyler), or a camera-free display (Even G2).
Key specs
- Camera
- None
- Battery
- 6 h music · up to 14 h light use
- Lenses
- Rx-ready · blue-light · sun
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Audio & mics
- 7
- Assistant & features
- 7
- Battery & charging
- 6
- Fit & lens options
- 8
- Everyday value
- 8
Pick 01 · Audio glasses (camera-free)
Amazon Echo Frames (3rd Gen)
Amazon
Alexa on your face and nothing on anyone else's: open-ear speakers, no camera, no display, six hours of music (up to 14 of light use), sold on Amazon in five frame shapes that take prescription, blue-light or sunglass lenses.
Best for
Anyone who wants calls, music and an assistant in ordinary-looking glasses — and no camera
Pros
- No camera and no recording light to explain — welcome where camera glasses are banned
- Rectangle, square, round, cat-eye and Carrera styles; prescription-ready (Tom's Guide)
- Six hours of music at 80% volume (up from four on Gen 2); 'Find my glasses' via Alexa; VIP notification filter
- Sold directly by Amazon; the current listing is labeled 'Designed for Alexa+'
Cons
- Charges on a fiddly bridge-style stand, not in the case (Tom's Guide)
- Audible sound spill at half volume in a quiet room
- No camera, no AI vision, no display — Alexa only; weight is not published in the sources we used
Specs from Tom's Guide — Amazon Echo Frames (3rd Gen) review (battery, charging, styles).
Key specs
- Frame
- Butterfly · one size
- Bridge
- Standard or High
- Battery
- Up to 8 h + 48 h case
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Camera & capture
- 8
- Audio & mics
- 8
- Battery & case
- 8
- Fit & lens options
- 7
- Everyday value
- 8
Pick 02 · Camera AI glasses
Ray-Ban Meta Skyler (Gen 2)
Ray-Ban Meta
Gen 2 hardware in a butterfly (cat-eye) frame that is one-size-fits-all with a Standard or High bridge — the narrowest-looking Ray-Ban Meta, in seven frame colors.
Best for
Narrower faces and anyone who finds the Wayfarer too boxy
Pros
- Same 12 MP / 3K camera, five-mic array and 8-hour rating as the Wayfarer (Android Central)
- Seven frame colors — the widest color run of the three Gen 2 styles
- High-bridge option for faces the standard bridge slides on
Cons
- One frame size only; no Large
- The lifted outer corners are a stronger style statement than the Wayfarer
Specs from Android Central — Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) price, specs and styles.
Key specs
- Display
- Binocular microLED · 27.5°
- Weight · battery
- 36 g · ~48 h
- Prescription
- -12.00 to +12.00
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Display usefulness
- 9
- Camera & capture
- 1
- Battery & case
- 9
- Fit & lens options
- 10
- Everyday value
- 6
Pick 03 · Display glasses
Even Realities G2
Even Realities
The camera-free display pair: a green microLED heads-up display in both lenses (27.5° field of view, 1,200 nits), 36 grams, about two days per charge, no camera and no speakers, and prescriptions from -12.00 to +12.00.
Best for
Glasses wearers who want notifications, navigation, captions and a teleprompter in the lens — privately
Pros
- No camera and no speakers — nothing for a bystander to object to (Tom's Guide: 'privacy for you and everyone else')
- 36 g against 52 g for Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 and 66 g for Vanguard
- Widest prescription range on this site, -12.00 to +12.00; IP65; case adds up to seven charges (AR Compare)
- Tom's Guide: 'the first pair of AR glasses I'd actually buy'; the R1 ring adds scroll control
Cons
- Not sold on Amazon at the time of checking — reference link to Even Realities only, we earn nothing
- Monochrome green text display, not video; no audio without earbuds
- $599 at launch, plus $249 for the optional R1 ring; some connection hiccups noted in review
Not an affiliate link · disclosure
Specs from AR Compare — Even Realities G2 spec sheet (display, weight, battery, prescription range).
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Are Bose Frames discontinued?
Yes. Digital Trends reported Bose phased out the Frames line, with remaining stock sold through the 2023 holidays and none available by the end of 2023.
What replaced Bose Frames?
Bose has not announced a successor. The closest camera-free equivalent is Amazon Echo Frames; Ray-Ban Meta and Meta Adventurer are better audio hardware if you accept a camera; the Oakley Vanguard replaces the sport-focused Tempo.
Do Bose Frames still work?
Yes, as Bluetooth audio glasses, and Bose said support and active warranties continue (Digital Trends). Batteries are sealed and will eventually fade.
Which Bose Frames models were there?
Alto, Rondo, Soprano, Tenor and the sport Tempo (Digital Trends, Bose press room).
Read next
Best smart glasses for music →Keep reading
Related guides
- Amazon Echo Frames review →
The like-for-like replacement.
- Best smart glasses for music →
Every current audio option ranked.
- Best smart glasses without a camera →
If camera-free is the point.
- Oakley Meta for running and cycling →
The Tempo's replacement, with a camera.
Sources
- —Digital Trends — Exclusive: Bose discontinues its Frames line of audio smart glasses · digitaltrends.com
- —Bose press room — Introducing three new Bose Frames audio sunglasses (Tempo, Tenor, Soprano) · bose.com
- —Tom's Guide — Amazon Echo Frames (3rd Gen) review · tomsguide.com
- —Engadget — What to expect at Meta Connect 2026 (camera-free 'Luna') · engadget.com
- —Android Central — Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) price, specs and styles · androidcentral.com
- —AR Compare — Even Realities G2 spec sheet (display, weight, battery, prescription range) · arcompare.com