(Updated with references to Bose/Beats lawsuit) Apple is preparing to pull all of Bose's audio products from its stores, according to sources for
MacRumors and
MacNN. The
MacRumors source says that the inventory change is
due to start next week, and that workers will get instructions in the next few days. Commenting on the claim, the
MacNN source suggests that it's likely true and "falls in line with a shelving reorganization for Christmas that we've already seen that's got nothing from Bose on it."
While neither source has been given an explanation for the decision, it's speculated that it's related to Apple's
takeover of Beats this summer. Even prior to the acquisition, Beats headphones and speakers were featured prominently in Apple Stores, and Apple may now want to discourage competition. Alternately, Bose itself may have wanted to pull out because of Beats, or for some more mundane reason.
The move could be linked to things like Bose's recent sponsorship of the NFL, which has seen the latter ban players from wearing Beats headphones while on camera. A San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick,
recently defied the ban and suffered a $10,000 fine. Bose is also suing Beats over
infringement of noise reduction patents.