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

What Bose Actually Did

• Bose will end cloud support for SoundTouch speakers but:
  • Remove cloud dependency from their official app and add local-only controls.
  • Publish HTTP API documentation so third parties can control speakers on the local network.
• No firmware, server code, app source, or signing keys were released. Several commenters stress this is not “open source” in the usual sense, just published specs.
• Some note the documented API has existed for years and was already reverse-engineered and used by tools like Home Assistant; what’s new is mainly official blessing and removal of cloud reliance.
• API docs appear to cover basic control (volume, input, presets queries), not the internal cloud/music-service backend, so fully replacing the Bose cloud stack is still unclear or impossible from docs alone.

Reaction: Praise vs Skepticism

• Many see this as exemplary EoL behavior: avoiding e‑waste, enabling tinkering, and increasing trust. Several say it makes them more likely to buy Bose (especially second-hand SoundTouch units).
• Others argue Bose only changed course after backlash over an earlier plan that would have effectively “dumbed down” the speakers, and that they deserve limited credit for merely doing the minimum.
• There’s debate whether to “reward” companies that reverse bad decisions versus holding them to account for the initial move.

Comparisons and Alternatives

• Sonos is repeatedly cited as a negative contrast (recycle mode, bricking, forced cloud), as are Nest and certain baby products; Logitech’s Squeezebox/Lyrion and Teufel’s fully open MYND speaker are held up as better models.
• Several users mention existing open ecosystems (LMS, Squeezelite, Wiim, Gadgetbridge) and active reverse‑engineering of SoundTouch firmware, plus new Python/TypeScript libraries wrapping the API.

Policy, Design, and “Smart” Devices

• Strong sentiment that this kind of EoL strategy should be legally required or tied to right‑to‑repair, with ideas like:
  • Mandated release of specs/keys or device unlock at EoL.
  • Taxes or penalties for bricking devices and creating e‑waste.
• Broader criticism of “smart” speakers and cloud‑tied appliances: many prefer locally controlled or purely “dumb” audio gear and argue long‑lived hardware should not depend on short‑lived cloud services.

Bose Brand and Audio Quality Debate

• Long side discussion on Bose sound quality, pricing, comfort, and durability:
  • Consensus that their noise‑cancelling headphones are extremely comfortable and competitively good, if not always best‑in‑class fidelity or value.
  • Audiophile vs casual‑listener perspectives clash over “neutral” vs “pleasant” sound, objective vs subjective sound quality, and whether Bose is overpriced mid‑tier or solid consumer gear.
• Several users share positive long‑term experiences with Bose hardware and support, reinforcing that this EoL move fits a generally decent customer‑care reputation, in their view.