Bose CEO Lila Snyder on rebuilding the company around licensing

Bose CEO Lila Snyder joined The Verge's Decoder podcast, hosted by Nilay Patel, in an episode published Monday. Snyder last appeared on the show in November 2022. Since then she has rebuilt large parts of the company: Bose sold off Bose Professional, bought two high-end audio brands, and started licensing its core technology to outside manufacturers.

Amar Bose founded the company in 1964, putting it well past its sixtieth year by 2026. Bose built its name selling home speakers, then expanded into noise-canceling headphones and car audio systems, areas where the company still holds a leading position through continued investment in research and development.

Bose sold Bose Professional, its commercial installation and conferencing business, to Transom Capital Group in April 2023. In November 2024, Bose acquired McIntosh Group, parent company of high-end audio brands McIntosh Labs and Sonus faber, from Highlander Partners. Snyder has framed the strategy as expanding into premium audio while keeping day-to-day operations of the acquired brands largely independent from Bose's own consumer line.

The licensing push runs through two branded programs: Sound by Bose for consumer audio and Powered by Bose for hearing and health devices. Motorola uses Bose-tuned audio in its moto buds+ earbuds. Hearing aid maker Lexie builds devices for mild-to-moderate hearing loss on Bose technology. In June 2026, Bose bought Vienna-based StreamUnlimited Engineering, a deal the company described as expanding the infrastructure behind that licensing effort for global manufacturers building products around its WaveForm Audio Engine.

• Bose Professional sold to Transom Capital Group, April 2023
• McIntosh Group (McIntosh Labs, Sonus faber) bought from Highlander Partners, November 2024
• Core audio tech now licensed through Sound by Bose and Powered by Bose, including deals with Motorola and Lexie

The interview lands as audio and wearable hardware keeps drawing bigger companies into the space: we covered how Ray-Ban Meta's AI glasses turned into a mainstream household product rather than a niche gadget, a shift that's putting pressure on audio makers like Bose to find new ways to reach customers who aren't buying speakers directly.

This piece is informational, not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any asset.