Bose doubles the size of its open earbuds line with new Ultra Opens and a new sports-focused model
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Bose is fresh off its most recent audio release, but it's still coming out swinging.
On Sept. 17, the brand announced two new open earbuds models: the Bose Ultra Open (2nd gen) and the Bose Sport Open. This comes over two years after the launch of the original Bose Ultra Open, which helped raise the profile of open earbuds overall (and became a Mashable favorite).
The new Ultra open earbuds will retail for $299, with the Sport Open earbuds functioning as the cheaper model at $199. Both earbuds will be available for preorder starting Sept. 19, with full availability coming Oct. 1. In the meantime, here's everything you need to know about Bose's latest launch:
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Bose Ultra Open (2nd gen): What's new
The new Ultra Open earbuds come with three major upgrades over the previous generation: better battery life, better sound quality, and an improved design.
Battery life
The first change is a welcome one; Bose upped the battery life from seven hours per charge to nine hours per charge. For $299 open earbuds, most features should be at the top of the field, but the battery life was one notable area where the Bose earbuds lagged behind. Now, they're on par with the Sony LinkBuds Clip.
Sound quality
The second generation Ultra Open earbuds come packed with a new driver that addresses two areas where open earbuds commonly struggle: bass and volume. Though the original Bose earbuds were already louder than some of their main competitors' buds, the new generation will be able to reach even louder volumes and feature deeper bass. The Auto Volume feature will also automatically respond to balance streamed audio against external sounds.
Also new is the addition of Immersive Audio. This feature has been available on other Bose models, but it's the first time it'll be available on open earbuds from the brand. Bose's TrueSpatial technology will power a standard Immersive Audio and Cinema mode, meant to open the soundscape for videos and podcasts.
Finally, internal improvements on these earbuds will result in clearer calls, another area where open earbuds can notoriously falter.
Design
The design looks largely the same, but Bose elevated it with the addition of a metallic cap where it was formerly plastic. The earbuds also have a beveled finish. The case itself can now support wireless charging, stand up on its own, thanks in part to silicone feet, and open easier than the previous gen.
Bose Ultra Open (2nd gen): Specs and price
Keeping in line with the first generation model, the new Bose Ultra Open earbuds will cost $299. Spec-wise, you can expect the following:
Battery: Nine hours per charge, plus 19.5 hours in the case
Equalizer: Yes, three-band
Immersive audio: Yes
Connection: Bluetooth 5.4, SBC and AAC codecs, Google Fast Pair
Multipoint: Up to two devices
IP rating: IPX4
Colors: Black, white smoke, limited-edition cherry chocolate, olive green, sky pink
Bose Sport Open: What's new
Technically, Bose is bringing back the Sport Open earbuds: they first hit the scene in 2021, but were pulled from the lineup while Bose's original Ultra Opens were on the market. In their initial iteration, these earbuds also featured an ear hook design, where Bose has now made a sportier version of the successful cuff style of their flagship open earbuds.
Compared to the Ultra Opens, these earbuds feature a more lightweight cuff-style design (much more similar to the aforementioned Sony buds or Shokz earbuds), with silicone designed to help keep them in place. Though you won't have access to the Immersive Audio features, these earbuds do feature a slightly better IP rating of IP54, meaning they'll handle sweat and water splashes better (both in the earbuds and the case). The case itself has a clear, textured lid to make it easy to grab, and is also compatible with wireless charging.
On the earbuds themselves, Bose included textured tactile controls for easy device-free controls, even when you're on the move.
Bose Sport Open: Specs and price
The Sport Open earbuds will be available for $199 and come with the following features:
Battery: Seven hours per charge, plus 22 hours in the case
Equalizer: Yes, three-band
Immersive audio: Not available on this model
Connection: Bluetooth 5.4, SBC and AAC codecs, Google Fast Pair
Multipoint: Up to two devices
IP rating: IP54
Colors: Black, white smoke, limited-edition eucalyptus green
Bose Ultra Open (2nd gen) and Bose Sport Open: How to preorder
As mentioned above, both earbuds will be available to preorder starting Sept. 19 with a full availability date of Oct. 1. Preorders will go live at Bose's website and select other retailers — we'll be sure to keep you posted once they do.
Topics Bose
Bethany Allard is a Los Angeles-based shopping reporter at Mashable covering beauty tech, dating, sex and relationships, and headphones. That basically means she puts her hair through a lot, scrolls through a lot of dating apps, and rotates through a lot of different headphones. In addition to testing out and rounding up the best products, she also covers deals for Mashable, paying an especially obsessive amount of attention to Apple deals and prices. That knowledge comes in handy when she's covering shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, which she's now done for three years at Mashable.
