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Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

arstechnica.com

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Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#341

Post by Fiveplus »

poolnoodle wrote: post #272
Fiveplus wrote: post #46

The hardware on the soundtouch 10/20/30 series was always surprisingly over engineered with heavy magnets, decent power supplies, and good enclosures but let down by a sluggish app and flaky mDNS implementation. With this, they just became the best value proposition on the used market. Flashing these with a minimal distro running snapclient (for multiroom audio) and shairport-sync (AirPlay 2) makes them infinitely be…

I have used a ST10 as my tv speaker for years and despite being mono it has such a clear and full sound. Spectacular little box.

They hardware always been and continues to be finessed. Worth the extra premium imho.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#342

Post by rswail »

awesome_dude wrote: post #307
daseiner1 wrote: post #304

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you elaborate? Because my understanding is that Apple has offered outstanding support for older devices in terms of iOS support for quite old devices.

Whilst the support might be "outstanding" - the discussion is what happens once devices are no longer supported.

No functrionality is lost when a phone no longer receives iOS updates. All of the existing functionality continues.

Access to new features is not available, and app developers may no longer support updates to their applications.

But AFAIK, Apple apps (maps, music, phone, iMessage etc) on iPhones no longer receiving iOS updates continue to work.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#343

Post by stressback »

ww520 wrote: post #226
port3000 wrote: post #6

Good for them. Makes me more likely to consider buying a Bose in future, not just because I know it won't be bricked, but also for the environmental impact of this. Kudos.

I used to have an unexplained resistance to buy Bose products. After the hinge of my Sony mx-1000 headphones broke in to two places, I gave in and got a Bose qc. Man, the build quality was insanely good. The sound was really good. And it’s really comfortable to wear. I had changed my view.

This is going to read like I'm shilling but: I was so impressed with Bose QC headphones that i stocked up and gave out 7 pairs to my closest friends and family this year for christmas

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#344

Post by troupo »

hnlmorg wrote: post #317
filoleg wrote: post #237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Bose should not receive praise for this move. Bose only took this action after community backlash. They received the backlash, they responded to it by properly addressing the criticism and doing the right thing. It should be praised. Especially since it wasn't some PR-centric damage control, but an actual direct address of the specific points their original approach was criticized for. Compare Bose's response to th…

Sonos gets backlash every few years and they don’t change. It’s almost as if consumers are shit at boycotting companies. Which does make Boses move even more impressive when you think about how it wouldn’t have affected their business to do nothing.

A few years back Sonos was going to EoL and brick a huge humber of their "legacy" devices and that those devices would prevent new ones from getting updated. After backlash they reversed their decision and all devices remained functional: https://www.businessinsider.com/sonos-device-support-ceo-apo...

However, I wouldn't expect anything from Sonos at this point in time.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#346

Post by hnlmorg »

troupo wrote: post #344
hnlmorg wrote: post #317

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sonos gets backlash every few years and they don’t change. It’s almost as if consumers are shit at boycotting companies. Which does make Boses move even more impressive when you think about how it wouldn’t have affected their business to do nothing.

A few years back Sonos was going to EoL and brick a huge humber of their "legacy" devices and that those devices would prevent new ones from getting updated. After backlash they reversed their decision and all devices remained functional: https://www.businessinsider.com/sonos-device-support-ceo-apo... However, I wouldn't expect anything from Sonos at this point in time.

And before that it was the “recycle mode” that actually bricked the hardware thus contributing to e-waste: https://www.whathifi.com/news/sonos-explains-why-recycle-mod...

Sonos did revert that decision after mounting public pressure too. However they keep pull these kinds of stunts and then later apologising for it.

My point is: are you actually changing if you keep making the same mistakes and then only saying “sorry” after you get caught?

If Bose shows the same pattern of behaviour the I’d lump them into the same category as Sonos. But thus far they do seem slightly more ethical.

Personally though, I think the whole “smart speaker” industry is crooked. But some are definitely more crooked than others.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#347

Post by thayne »

rswail wrote: post #342
awesome_dude wrote: post #307

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whilst the support might be "outstanding" - the discussion is what happens once devices are no longer supported.

No functrionality is lost when a phone no longer receives iOS updates. All of the existing functionality continues. Access to new features is not available, and app developers may no longer support updates to their applications. But AFAIK, Apple apps (maps, music, phone, iMessage etc) on iPhones no longer receiving iOS updates continue to work.

Apps that connect to a service over the Internet (maps, music iMessage) could stop working if Apple changes the APIs that those apps use. This is even more likely to happen to third party apps.

You won't get updates to the trusted root CAs, which means you won't be able to visit sites with certificates signed by CAs created or renewed after support is dropped. And your browser will continue trusting CAs that have had their trust revoked.

And as web standards evolve there will be websites that use features and APIs that your browser doesn't support and may break in subtle, or not so subtle ways. And there is no way for you to install a more up to date browser.

And then of course, you won't fixes for any new security vulnerabilities that are found.

So yeah, it's not as bad as getting bricked, but it as also worse than continuing to work as it always has, but with no new features.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#348

Post by neilv »

I actually found a nice SoundTouch 20 discarded on the curb, a couple months ago.

I assumed it was probably discarded due to the frequent situation here, of student who is moving away, and who doesn't want the hassle or expense of moving things that don't fit in their luggage.

Now I wonder whether it was discarded because the owner heard it was being bricked, so not worth moving with them.

(Don't worry, I'm a curb Jawa master. I carried it home, realized it was IoT that required an icky closed app thing to use it, and so gave it to an MIT student. I just emailed them the URL of this good news. Possible bummer for the previous owner, though.)

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#349

Post by thiht »

Wafje wrote: post #225
ktg0215 wrote: post #8

This is how "end of support" should be handled. Instead of turning devices into e-waste, open-source them and let the community extend their life. Kudos to Bose for setting a good example. More companies should follow this approach - especially as right-to-repair becomes a bigger issue.

Bose should not receive praise for this move. Bose only took this action after community backlash. In an older version of their end-of-life announcement, most functionality of the speaker systems would have removed and transformed the devices into dumb-speakers/amps. Good that they changed their statement and took the right action. Even better for the community for stepping up and 'forcing' Bose to do so. Sources: ht…

Ugh, damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#350

Post by [deleted] »

astrange wrote: post #323
awesome_dude wrote: post #307

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whilst the support might be "outstanding" - the discussion is what happens once devices are no longer supported.

You can't release all the documentation just because the entire phone isn't supported. Many of the components come from other suppliers and aren't obsolete, and you can't just reveal all your suppliers' IP.

[deleted]
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