Bose has some of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market And with its strong durability and battery life, the new Bose SoundLink Max looks to be a top contender for best outdoor speaker

We caught a glimpse of the Jumbo sequel last month Today's (May 2) official announcement of the SoundLink Max confirms most of the early rumors, with Bose itself describing it as the company's largest portable speaker, a boom box-like product

As the model name suggests, the SoundLink Max is a larger version of the Bose SoundLink Flex ($149) Available in the US on May 16 at Bosecom, the Max aims to deliver powerful stereo sound with a rugged, portable design and long battery life [Priced at $399, it is higher than the Ultimate Ears Epicboom ($349) and $50 less than the Sonos Move 2 ($449) For UK residents, the Bose SoundLink Max is priced at £399, with an official release date of June 4 We are told that pre-orders in the UK will begin on May 14 at Bosecouk At the time of this writing, there is no information on sales in other regions

Color options for the Bose SoundLink Max at launch include black and dusk blue

While the original Flex measured 79 x 35 x 2 inches, the Max is said to measure 104 x 47 x 41 inches and weigh just under 5 pounds; the SoundLink Max has a built-in removable rope handle for easy portability A rope shoulder strap is also available as an option, although no pricing information was available at the time of this writing

As a go-anywhere speaker, the Bose SoundLink Max features an IP67 rating to protect against UV rays, shock, dirt, splashes, and brief submersion, making it perfect for trips to the pool, beach, or park

The Max press release does not say whether it features PositioIQ technology (found on the smaller SoundLink Flex), which automatically optimizes sound output based on the speaker's orientation However, Bose says the speakers will reproduce full, natural sound regardless of what you are listening to or where you are placing the speakers So they may be included after all

According to Bose, the SoundLink Max features three speaker drivers on the front of the speaker to provide a spacious stereo experience, while two custom-designed passive radiators provide a level of bass output that defies the speaker's size

The built-in battery provides up to 20 hours of runtime, and the USB-C port allows for charging of mobile devices Bluetooth 53 is used, supporting SBC, AAC, and aptX Adaptive for high-quality Bluetooth from Android devices stream from Android devices There is a 35mm AUX input jack for connecting to a wired source such as a turntable or media player A shortcut button on the speaker can be used for AUX switching or customized to enable Spotify Tap

Google Fast Pair is also included for pairing with Android devices

Again, the Bose SoundFlex Max is priced at $399 and will be available on Bosecom starting May 16 A review will be available soon