Bose has announced a sequel to its original SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speaker. The second-gen SoundLink Flex portable speaker builds on the foundations laid by the 2022 model, adding a raft of additional features that Bose hopes will see the new contender challenge the likes of JBL, Beats and Ultimate Ears.
Launching at the same price as its predecessor – £150 / $149 / AU$250 – and sporting a similar overall design, the SoundLink Flex (2nd Generation) does differentiate itself via a handy Shortcut button – similar to the switch found on the more recent, five-star SoundLink Max – which lets you quickly access a range of functions, including summoning your voice assistant or starting Spotify, at the touch of a button.
Most of the updates to the SoundLink Flex Gen 2 come in the form of new features and capabilities. That 12-hour battery life and IP67 waterproof rating both remain unchanged, but what you do get is better Bluetooth codec support. The Flex 2 now offers AAC and aptX compatibility, with the latter making the Bose capable of wirelessly transmitting 24-bit hi-res audio via a compatible source device.
PositionIQ returns, a clever feature that, a little like Sonos's Trueplay calibration tech, uses built-in sensors to detect the speaker's orientation and then optimises the sound accordingly. It's a smart trick that we found worked well with the original SoundLink Flex, so here's hoping this sophomore effort nails it just as effectively.
If you're still not happy with how your speaker sounds, you can adjust its sonic character via the Bose app using the equaliser. You can also use the app to create a 'SimpleSync' with another compatible Bose product, such as a soundbar or another Bluetooth speaker, or create a stereo pair with two Flex speakers via 'Party Mode'.
We liked the first-gen SoundLink Flex, praising its clear, detailed midrange, powerful overall sound, sleek design and ease of use. Rivals like the five-star JBL Charge 5 and Flip 6 did offer greater precision and sonic balance over the Flex for similar money, so here's hoping that Bose has found space to tweak the sound quality as well.
Available in black, blue, sandstone or an all-new 'alpine sage' colourway, the Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) is on sale now for £150 / $149 / AU$250.
MORE:
Read our original Bose SoundLink Flex review
And our recent, five-star Bose SoundLink Max review
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