Starting in February 2026, Bose will end support for its SoundTouch speakers — and at the same time, strip them of all their smart features.
It’s a move that somewhat echoes the infamous Sonos saga, though with one key difference: Bose’s SoundTouch speakers date back to 2013. For most people, owning a 12-year-old speaker isn’t unusual. But we now live in an era of smart speakers with integrated streaming, multiroom capabilities, and connected apps. All of which rely on constant online access and frequent updates to remain secure and functional. Maintaining that infrastructure for aging devices costs manufacturers both time and money.
From smart to dumb
Bose has evidently decided it’s no longer worth it. On February 18, 2026, the switch will be flipped, and all online-based features — including streaming services and multiroom support — will stop working. Why multiroom playback is being discontinued isn’t entirely clear, since in theory it could function locally. But the system appears to have been designed in such a way that even that depends on cloud connectivity.
After the cutoff date, SoundTouch owners will no longer be able to stream from services like Spotify or TuneIn. ‘Luckily’, the speakers can still be used as active or Bluetooth speakers, depending on the model.
It’s yet another reminder of how quickly technology moves — and how fast once-connected devices can become practically obsolete.