Bose has announced two new additions to its open‑ear earbud lineup. If you’re looking for workout-friendly buds or a more refined everyday open‑ear option this fall, both new models are worth considering.
The Bose Sport Open Earbuds and the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) are available for preorder starting September 19 and will begin shipping on October 1.
Both models use Bose’s open‑ear cuff design, which rests around the outer ear rather than sealing the ear canal. That design keeps your ears open to ambient sound so you can hear traffic, coworkers, or other surroundings while listening to audio. Because they remain open to the environment, neither model includes active noise cancellation—the tradeoff for situational awareness.
Sport Open Earbuds: built for workouts, $199
The Sport Open Earbuds are the newer, fitness‑focused option in the lineup. They are designed with runners and gym users in mind, featuring a flexible silicone cuff and textured controls that make it easier to find and operate the earbuds by feel during a workout. The buds carry an IP54 rating for sweat, splash, and dust resistance, giving them protection suitable for most exercise conditions.
Battery life is rated at approximately 7 hours of playback on the earbuds alone, with a total of about 22 hours when combined with the included wireless charging case. These earbuds are positioned as the more affordable entry point to Bose’s open‑ear family, priced at $199.
Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen): the upgrade, $299
The Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) retain the $299 price point of the original model but introduce several refinements. Bose has updated the driver design, which the company says delivers a fuller low end with stronger bass response and increased maximum volume. A new Cinema Mode expands the perceived soundstage for movies and TV while preserving clear dialogue. For voice calls, Bose has added AI‑powered voice isolation intended to improve call clarity in noisy environments.
Battery life for the Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) is longer than the sport model, with up to 9 hours of playback on the earbuds themselves and up to 28.5 hours total with the charging case. Note that using Immersive Audio mode reduces earbuds battery life to roughly 5 hours per charge. The charging case now supports wireless charging, a convenience the original Ultra model did not offer.
Both earbuds ship in standard Black and White Smoke finishes. Bose is also offering limited‑edition colorways — Cherry Chocolate, Olive Green, and Sky Pink — for those who want a different look. A few software features will arrive after the initial release: support for Google’s Find Hub, Alexa+ integrations, and an Apple Music shortcut are planned, and Bose says these will be delivered via a firmware update sometime following the October 1 launch, though exact timing has not been announced.
Which model makes the most sense will depend on how you plan to use them. If you want an open‑ear option primarily for workouts, running, and straightforward music listening while staying aware of your surroundings, the $199 Sport Open Earbuds are tailored to that use case. If you already own the first‑generation Ultra Open Earbuds and mainly use them for music and calls, the second‑generation upgrades—improved driver performance, Cinema Mode, AI call isolation, and wireless charging—are worthwhile improvements, though not necessarily must‑have unless you want the specific enhancements.
In short, Bose’s new Sport Open Earbuds deliver a focused, affordable open‑ear solution for active users, while the Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) offer a more feature‑rich experience for everyday listening, media consumption, and clearer calls. Both choices emphasize situational awareness through the open‑ear design rather than noise isolation, and they expand the brand’s options for listeners who prefer to stay connected to the world around them.