Bose Is Buying Skullcandy. It’s Not as Weird as It Sounds
By keeping Skullcandy in Park City, Utah, Bose is betting that skate cred and budget pricing will reach listeners it’s been missing.
The acquisition of Skullcandy by Bose isn't as odd as it may first appear. Bose has been collaborating with Skullcandy for the past year through its Sound by Bose licensing program. Skullcandy designs the headphones, while Bose handles the audio expertise. This partnership started with the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds in 2025 and more recently, the Crusher 1080 ANC headphones in July 2025.
Skullcandy's CEO, Brian Garofalow, acknowledged the company's strength in building community and culture, particularly around board sports. He admitted, however, that Skullcandy wasn't the best at engineering innovations. Bose, on the other hand, has been acquiring audio brands, with McIntosh Group being one of its largest acquisitions in 2024.
Bose CEO, Lila Snyder, explained that Skullcandy gives Bose access to a new customer base that Bose is currently missing. Bose products are also more affordable compared to other Bose-owned brands, allowing Bose to compete at both ends of the market. Despite the odd pairing, Bose's reputation for active noise-cancelation (ANC) and high-end products contrasts with Skullcandy's history of middling sound quality and bold aesthetics. Recent collaborations, however, have started to improve Skullcandy's reputation.
Snyder is excited about what the future holds for the partnership, stating that it's just the beginning of what they can achieve together. She is particularly interested in seeing the results of Bose's "acoustic muscle" on the lifestyle brand, which has been aiming for a "permanent glow-up".
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
