All Bose headphones and speakers have been removed from Apple's Online Store, possibly due to an ongoing dispute between Bose and Beats Electronics, reports 9to5Mac.com.
Zac Hall of 9to5Mac writes, "The ongoing patent dispute between Bose and Beats Electronics was likely the reason for Apple removing Bose products from its retail stores," and adds that despite an earlier report saying the two companies had agreed on settling out of court, "conflict between the two companies has still existed."
In addition to the patent dispute, Hall explains another problem between Beats Electronics and Bose: "Because the NFL is sponsored in part by Bose, competing headphone brands including the popular Beats cannot be allowed on camera during NFL-related events. This has led to several NFL players being disciplined for wearing Beats headphones during NFL."
The NFL had fined Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers for wearing Beats headphones during a press conference, based on an exclusive sponsorship contract with Bose. Kaepernick continued to wear his Beats headphones while on camera, but this time covering the company logo with tape, according to Business Insider.
Steven Tweedie of Business Insider thinks that "while Apple could be responding to the NFL controversy, it's also possible that Apple just doesn't want to sell its rival's headphones in its stores."
What has happened between Apple and Bose is "a long retail relationship turned sour," as Chris Welch of The Verge puts it.
"The end of a fairly long retail relationship between Apple and Bose would indicate that things are getting worse, not better. It's also disappointing for consumers, since Bose offers some genuinely fantastic products," writes Welch.
"Apple's stores attract just the type of customer that Bose is after, so it's no small loss for the company. Other high-end headphones from the likes of Sennheiser and Bowers & Wilkins remain available at the Apple Store. For now, there's always Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and other retailers if you're looking for Bose," he adds.