Bose Launches $199 Sport Open and $299 Ultra Open Earbuds With AI Voice Isolation

Bose has expanded its open-ear range with two clip-on models: the workout-focused Sport Open Earbuds at $199 and the second-generation Ultra Open Earbuds at $299. Preorders opened September 19 on Bose.com and at select retailers, with general availability from October 1 (Bose, audioXpress).

Two earbuds, two audiences

The Sport Open targets runners and gym-goers. A C-arm cuff wraps the outer ear with soft silicone, the earbuds are rated IP54 against dust and water, and textured physical buttons stay usable with sweaty fingers. Battery life is up to seven hours from the earbuds, with up to 22 more hours from the case, and a 10-minute quick charge gives about an hour of playback.

The Ultra Open (2nd Gen) is the flagship refresh. Bose says new drivers deliver deeper bass and more volume than the first generation. The headline feature is Cinema Mode, which uses Bose's TrueSpatial head tracking to widen the soundstage for films, shows and podcasts while keeping dialogue centred. The Ultra also supports Snapdragon Sound with aptX Adaptive on compatible Android phones, and gains Google Find Hub and Alexa+ integration through a launch-day firmware update (Tom's Guide).

Both add SpeechClarity, an AI voice isolation feature for clearer calls, and Auto Volume, which adjusts output as ambient noise changes.

Feature	Sport Open Earbuds	Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen)
US price	$199	$299
Durability rating	IP54	IPX4
Earbud battery	Up to 7 hours	Up to 9 hours (5 hours with Immersive Audio or Auto Volume, 4 with both)
Extra from case	Up to 22 hours	Up to 19.5 hours
Cinema Mode / Immersive Audio	No	Yes
aptX Adaptive	No	Yes
AI voice isolation, Auto Volume	Yes	Yes
Wireless charging	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	5.4, two-device multipoint	5.4, two-device multipoint
Colours	Black, White Smoke	Black, White Smoke

TechRepublic's comparison says the extra $100 mainly buys longer battery life and the Ultra's audio features, while the Sport Open is the better fit for workouts (TechRepublic).

Why open-ear is Bose's bet

Open-ear earbuds give up the isolation and often the bass of sealed in-ear designs in exchange for situational awareness. Runners can hear traffic, office workers can hear a colleague approach, and neither has to pull an earbud out for a quick conversation. Bose is aiming both models at Shokz and Huawei's FreeClip 2, in a category that has moved toward the mainstream as brands including Samsung and Google add open-ear options.

Neither model has active noise cancelling, an inherent trade-off of the open-ear format.

No Indian price or launch has been announced.

What to watch next

Independent reviews will show whether Bose's bass and volume claims for the Ultra Open hold up, since open-ear designs have historically struggled with bass compared with sealed earbuds.

Related on Gadgets365

• Samsung Galaxy Buds On are its first clip-on earbuds
• Oura adds Cardio Effort and automatic VO2 Max to its ring
• Xreal launches the 1 Pro+ AR glasses at $599