Bose open earbuds now come in two new flavors: the $199 Sport Open Earbuds and $299 Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen). In its September 17 announcement, Bose sets preorders for September 19 and availability for October 1. Both leave your ear canals open, so music can share space with conversations and surrounding sounds.
However, neither model offers active noise cancellation. The choice is between a silicone sports design and a more expensive pair with spatial listening modes. Both also include wireless charging, physical controls, Bluetooth multipoint for two devices, and SpeechClarity voice isolation for calls.
Bose open earbuds take two different routes
The Sport Open Earbuds use a flexible cuff and soft silicone finish. Their IP54 rating covers dust and splashes. Meanwhile, buttons on the earbuds handle playback, calls, and volume without requiring a trip into the app.
Bose rates the Sport pair for up to seven hours of playback, plus 22 additional hours from the case. However, its product FAQ gives a much lower 3.9-hour figure with Auto Volume enabled. That setting adjusts loudness as the noise around you changes, so it is worth checking before a long outing.
By comparison, the Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) add a new driver that Bose says improves bass and maximum volume. They also introduce Cinema Mode for video and support aptX Adaptive on compatible Android devices. Their IPX4 rating covers splashes, without the Sport model’s dust rating.
Check the battery settings and update timing
The Ultra model promises up to nine hours of standard playback. However, enabling either Immersive Audio or Auto Volume reduces that to five hours; using both lowers it to four. The case adds up to 19.5 hours under standard conditions. Those are Bose’s estimates, rather than our test results.
Meanwhile, Google Find Hub, Alexa+, and an Apple Music shortcut are planned for a firmware update after the October 1 release. Buyers should therefore treat those as upcoming features.
For more context on this style of earbud, our Shokz OpenDots 2 review explores everyday comfort. Our Sennheiser ACCENTUM Clip coverage also looks at another open-ear option. With these Bose models, the practical question is whether spatial audio and longer standard playback justify spending another $100.
