Associate Director and Senior Counsel

Hearing tech startup Legato emerges from stealth with $12M and a peek at its AI hearing glasses. The glasses, called Legato Frames, integrate the company's patented hearing-assistance technology into the arms of eyewear frames. Hearing loss affects an estimated 50 million adults in the United States, but only around 20% of those with diagnosed hearing loss seek treatment. Legato, a new hearing tech company, aims to close that gap. The startup is emerging from stealth on Wednesday with $12 million in funding and a first look at its AI hearing glasses, the company told TechCrunch exclusively. The glasses, called Legato Frames, integrate the company's patented hearing-assistance technology into the arms of eyewear frames. Legato Frames are expected to launch later this fall. Legato was founded by Mehul Trivedi and Steve Romine, who bring extensive experience in wearables and hearing care from Bose, where Trivedi led the creation of Bose Frames and Romine ran the hearing aids division. Trivedi left Bose to work at EssilorLuxottica, where he led smart eyewear efforts and worked on the Meta Ray-Bans, while Romine went on to serve as COO of hearing care company Audicus. After spending years at larger companies, Trivedi took some time off to explore the intersection of hearing technology and smart eyewear. During that time, Trivedi came across technology he believed could bring the two together, so he contacted Romine and the pair founded Legato in late 2024. "Our goal is to make hearing as ubiquitous as vision," Trivedi said in an interview with TechCrunch. "It's kind of a no-brainer that you go to an eye exam, you get your glasses, you wear your glasses, and you're happy, and you do that for the rest of your life - and the idea of it being blurry again where you would just stop wearing them is not a consideration. I think that's what we want to do with hearing: just make it something that people address and almost forget about." Legato is targeting people with mild to moderate hearing loss, which represents the largest segment of the hearing-loss population, the startup says. The company started with the goal of making hearing care more accessible by addressing the cost, comfort, and stigma associated with traditional hearing aids. Legato set out to make the glasses as small and lightweight as possible, and developed a proprietary acoustic system, signal-processing stack, and mechanical architecture to achieve it. Traditional hearing aids often use directional microphones to focus on sounds coming from a particular direction, which works well in quiet settings but can be difficult in noisy environments, such as restaurants. Legato takes a different approach by using an AI-powered system to differentiate between background noise and voices, amplifying only the voices. The goal is to make conversations clearer without creating the cognitively draining listening experience that can come with some traditional hearing aids. "We wanted to deliver an experience that was unique," Trivedi said. "So a form factor that's really discreet and looks normal. They're meant to feel and look like regular glasses. And so, we want it to be a product that's effortless, easy to use, with kind of no controls that you need to fiddle with, works everywhere, works throughout your day, doesn't need a ton of configuration, and just delivers you better hearing." While the frames have an open-ear design, sound isn't broadcast to people around you. They feature a dual-speaker system that directs sound toward the wearer while canceling sound that escapes, reducing sound by 99% just a few inches away from the ear. The company's funding, which is from Neotribe Ventures, Listen, and Village Global, has largely gone toward product development, along with marketing efforts. "We have an opportunity to address a population with this product and build something that delivers without all the compromises of traditional hearing aids," Trivedi said. "Hearing, at first glance, it's not so much just like 'I want to hear the TV better.' It's really about connection. When you hear better, you connect to the world. It reduces dementia risk and depression risk," he continued. "There's impactful hearing health factors associated with better hearing. We've got a product that lives on people for 16 hours that is trusted to help them with their hearing and their vision, and we'd love to continue helping them in every way we can." When the frames launch later this year, Legato says they'll be available through select eye-care providers nationwide and will "cost a fraction" of traditional hearing aids and may be eligible for vision insurance when purchased through an eye-care clinic.

Bose's Quiet Comfort cans return in 2nd-gen. While not the "ultra", the return of some Bose's most comfortable noise cancelling cans means an update for a legendary set of headphones. There is clearly no shortage of noise cancelling headphones, with a feature that has become so democratised, you can find it across a variety of price points. Active noise cancellation (ANC) for cheap and pricey, the differences are definitely there across the spectrum, with much of it landing on what's used in the technology, how much research there is, size, and of course, comfort. In the high-end, the competition is notably fierce, as players such as Apple, Beats, Sennheiser, and Sony compete for the top spot, all against the brand that basically started it all. Back in 1989, Bose launched the world's first noise cancelling headset for pilots, and a good ten years later, showed the world the first commercial model for people who didn't happen to fly aircraft, but simply took flights. It started everything. Since then, Bose has seen plenty of competition, but much of the strength in the company's range has been in the "QuietComfort" models. Simply put, they're designed to be quiet and comfortable, as the name suggests. In recent years, the QuietComfort models - often known as "QC" - have gone a little deeper, with an "ultra" generation that ups the design and feature set, bringing as many as 12 microphones and head-tracked spatial audio, something you can find across the earbuds, too. But if you just wanted a pair of quiet and comfy noise cancelling headphones, you've typically just wanted the QuietComfort, and for the past few years, they have been fairly basic. Still as good as the numbered QuietComfort models, but with a minor touch up. This year, Bose is changing things, updating the design and hardware, while leaving the quiet and comfort parts in. And all keeping the price under where the Ultra models go, because not everyone wants to spend up big. The QuietComfort 2nd-gen variation is effectively an updated take on the QuietComfort, tweaking the noise cancellation technology and supporting six microphones, essentially half what the Ultra models gets. Bose is also supporting the spatial audio technology, with a still, motion, and cinema audio approach, using still to keep the audio positioned in once place, the motion to follow you, and the cinema mode to create more of a theatrical experience with the soundstage, widening it somewhat. You'll also be able to use USB-C audio with the QuietComfort 2nd-gen, providing lossless support of up to 24-bit and 48kHz. A little high-res, but not as high-res as a dedicated DAC. But the audience spending less probably won't mind, and it gives them something else to work with. There are minor tweaks to the design, too, seen in the shape of the headphones, which Bose says will help with people wearing glasses to help get a better seal, a factor that matters for noise cancellation. Of course, there are also differences compared with the Ultra model, such as less impressive noise cancellation, a marginally lower battery life (24 in the QuietComfort, 30 in the Ultra), and button controls versus the Ultra's touch strip. The price is also lower than the Ultra 2nd-gen model, which normally costs around $700. By comparison, the standard QuietComfort 2nd-gen being launched will cost $549.95 when they arrive next week. The catch for people considering the pair could be cost compared to the ultra flagship model: while the 2nd-gen is technically an inexpensive price, at the time this article was published, the Bose Ultra model was actually around the same price, potentially muddying the waters somewhat. Headphone price fluctuations are fairly common, especially as Pickr head to the holiday season, so it might just be worth watching what's happening, or even holding out for a lower price on the 2nd-gen, depending on just how much you want to spend.

Bose launches QuietComfort Headphones with spatial audio. Fri, 7th Aug 2026 (Today) Bose has unveiled the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen), an over-ear model priced at AUD $549.95 in Australia. The new version updates one of Bose's best-known headphone lines with changes to noise cancellation, fit, audio modes and wired USB-C playback. Pre-orders open first to MyBose members before expanding more broadly, followed by general retail availability. A key addition is Bose Immersive Audio in the core QuietComfort range. Previously limited to the Ultra line, it appears here in three listening modes: Still, Motion and Cinema. Cinema Mode is tuned for video and spoken-word content, with dialogue kept clear and centred while widening the soundstage. The headphones also support wired lossless audio over USB-C at up to 24-bit/48kHz. Noise control Bose has revised the active noise cancellation system, now called QuietControl. The headphones use a six-microphone setup designed to compensate more effectively for gaps in the earcup seal. This is aimed in part at users who wear glasses or struggle to achieve a tight fit because of hair or hats. Bose says the system uses adaptive feedforward controls to preserve noise cancellation performance when the seal is imperfect. Aware Mode has also been updated with a revised ActiveSense response, intended to soften sudden spikes in ambient sound more smoothly, such as noise from passing public transport. Users can manually adjust noise cancellation levels through the Bose app or switch the feature off completely. They can also create custom modes that balance noise cancellation and acoustic transparency, then change them with a button on the left earcup. Design changes Bose has reworked the physical design with a lower-profile shape, redesigned headband sliders and thicker synthetic leather cushioning. It says the clamping force has been adjusted for a secure but lighter feel, while newly shaped oval earcups create a more flush silhouette. The launch line-up includes standard Black and White Smoke options, along with three limited-edition colours: Eucalyptus Green, Dewdrop Mint and Rosewood Mauve. Bose has also introduced a two-tone look, with contrasting colour details inside the earcups. Physical controls remain on the earcups rather than shifting fully to gesture input. Buttons on the right side handle playback, volume and calls, while the left side includes controls for listening modes and shortcuts such as a voice assistant or Spotify Tap. Calls and battery Connectivity is based on Bluetooth Core 5.4 with multipoint support for switching between two connected devices. Android users can also use Google Fast Pair for quicker setup. The expanded USB-C support covers both listening and voice input, allowing the headphones to be used for calls and videoconferencing through apps including Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Bose is also shipping a USB-C-to-3.5mm cable for analogue sources such as in-flight entertainment systems. Battery life is rated at up to 24 hours, or up to 18 hours with immersive audio turned on. A 15-minute quick charge provides up to 2.5 hours of playback, and the headphones can continue playing while charging. Through the Bose app, owners can access a three-band EQ, device management, firmware updates and shortcut settings. The product's positioning suggests Bose is refreshing a long-established line with features that have until now been reserved for more expensive models. The QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) enter a crowded premium over-ear market, where rivals have pushed harder on spatial audio, adaptive listening modes and design differentiation. Bose, by contrast, continues to lean on the recognition of the QuietComfort name and its long-standing focus on noise cancellation.