Both earbuds keep the ear canal open, projecting sound through the air toward the ear rather than sealing it off, a design distinct from bone-conduction alternatives, Stereo Guide notes. Neither model includes active noise cancellation, and that's intentional: the goal is to keep traffic, announcements, and conversation audible rather than to block them out, according to The Verge and Stereo Guide.

That trade-off caps how good either model can sound. When SoundGuys tested the original Ultra Open last year, it measured an overall sound quality score of 2.3 on its Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score scale, a result the outlet called low but typical for open-ear earbuds generally, not a flaw unique to Bose (SoundGuys review). It's a caveat worth keeping in mind before assuming new drivers erase a compromise that's built into the format itself.

Bose says newly engineered drivers in the second-generation Ultra deliver deeper bass and higher volume, a claim aimed squarely at the weak low-end SoundGuys flagged in its review of the original model relative to rivals like the Nothing Ear (Open) (SoundGuys launch report; SoundGuys review). A new Cinema Mode uses Bose's TrueSpatial head-tracking to widen the soundstage for video while keeping dialogue centered, a feature built for watching rather than just listening, The Verge reports.

The Ultra also picks up Snapdragon Sound support with aptX Adaptive for compatible Android devices, a connectivity option Stereo Guide says isn't confirmed for the Sport model. Battery life is rated at up to nine hours, or five hours with Immersive Audio switched on, and the redesigned case now stands upright so it can sit on a wireless charger, per The Verge. It ships in Black and White Smoke, plus limited-edition Cherry Chocolate, Olive Green, and Sky Pink, SoundGuys notes.

Taken together, the upgrades point toward an everyday companion for commuting, working, and watching video rather than a workout tool. Bose is positioning the Ultra as the all-day option in the lineup, per Stereo Guide.

The $199 Sport model trades the Ultra's design for a thinner, C-shaped soft-silicone cuff engineered to stay put through running, head shakes, and high-impact movement, The Verge reports. It carries an IP54 rating for sweat, splash, and dust resistance, and it swaps capacitive touch controls for textured physical buttons, a practical call for anyone trying to skip a track with wet fingers (SoundGuys; Stereo Guide).

Battery life comes in at seven hours per charge, or 29 hours with the case, slightly below the Ultra's figures, according to SoundGuys. It ships in Black, White Smoke, and a limited-edition Eucalyptus Green. Bose is positioning the Sport for runners and outdoor fitness enthusiasts specifically, rather than as a general-purpose listening device, per SoundGuys.

Both new Bose open-ear earbuds share a software and connectivity baseline: Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint pairing across two devices, SBC and AAC codecs, and Google Fast Pair, SoundGuys reports. The companion Bose app adds a three-band EQ and customizable hardware shortcuts across the lineup, not as an Ultra-only perk, and both models rely on AI-powered SpeechClarity for calls, which pairs a microphone with a dedicated voice pickup unit in each bud to isolate the wearer's voice, along with Auto Volume to adjust output as ambient noise shifts, Stereo Guide notes. Bose also plans a post-launch firmware update adding Google Find Hub tracking, hands-free Alexa+ support, and Apple Music shortcuts, per SoundGuys.

Figures per SoundGuys and The Verge.

Availability outside the US looks different. Stereo Guide reports that exclusive MyBose preorders begin today, September 17, with the Ultra going on sale October 1 for 299.95 euros and the Sport following two weeks later, on October 15, for 199.95 euros. That gap doesn't appear in the US-focused reporting, so buyers outside America should check regional listings directly rather than assume identical timing.

The biggest open question is whether Bose's claims hold up once these earbuds leave the launch demo. Bose says SpeechClarity improves voice isolation on calls, but the launch reports cited here don't include independent tests of the new hardware, so it's unclear whether that addresses the wind-noise problems SoundGuys' review flagged in the original Ultra, where the microphone struggled badly outdoors (SoundGuys review). The same goes for the promised deeper bass and higher volume: real claims, backed by Bose, not yet backed by a lab test.

Bose isn't declaring open-ear audio a mainstream category with this launch. It's segmenting an existing product line into a premium everyday option and a dedicated fitness one, a more modest but clearer strategic move than trying to make one earbud do both jobs well (SoundGuys; The Verge).

Preorders open September 19. The real verdict on Bose's bass, volume, and call-quality claims will arrive once these earbuds face actual sidewalks, gyms, and windy commutes, rather than a press release, and that verdict is still a few weeks away.