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Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Buy the first Bose Ultra Open Earbuds on sale: at $199 they're an open-ear pair with 7 hours per charge, against 9 hours on the $299 2nd Gen.
Product images
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Buy the first Bose Ultra Open Earbuds on sale: at $199 they're an open-ear pair with 7 hours per charge, against 9 hours on the $299 2nd Gen. There's no noise cancelling by design, so you keep hearing what's around you. You get Immersive Audio, AAC and SBC, and multipoint from a July 2024 update; wireless charging needs a separate cover. At full price, get the 2nd Gen.
Who it is for
- Open-ear buyers who catch it on sale: $199 against the 2nd Gen's $299.
- People who switch between two devices. A July 2024 firmware update added multipoint, so the buds connect to two at once.
- People who exercise and want to hear their surroundings. Bose pitches this cuff for workouts, citing its stability and its OpenAudio sound.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants to shut noise out. By design these don't block the world and have no noise cancelling; Bose's sealed QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) with CustomTune are the alternative.
- Anyone paying close to $299. For that price the 2nd Gen gives you 9 hours per charge, Bluetooth 5.4 and wireless charging built into the case.
What sets it apart
- AAC and SBC support, which Bose lists for this pair; the 2nd Gen's specs list no codecs.
- Bluetooth multipoint to two devices at once, added in a July 2024 update.
- Up to 7 hours per charge, or 4 with Immersive Audio or Auto Volume, plus up to 19.5 hours from the case, the same top-up Bose quotes for the 2nd Gen.
- A 10-minute charge in the case adds up to 2 hours of play.
Caveats
- Out of the box the case is USB-C only; wireless charging needs Bose's Wireless Charging Case Cover, sold separately.
- Bose's battery numbers don't quite agree: the spec table says 7 hours, while its test notes say up to 7.5 hours with Immersive Audio off and 4.5 with it on.
- Bose designs OpenAudio for private listening but gives no figure for how much sound leaks.
- Only the buds carry a rating, IPX4 for sweat and splashes; the case has none.
Key specs
In the same order on every earbuds page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Open-ear cuff that doesn't cover the ear | Bose.com spec table and FAQ |
| Fit / tips / wings | Clip-on cuff with no eartips; slide it up or down the outer ear to adjust. PC-ABS, metal, silicone and gold plating | Bose.com spec table and FAQ |
| Driver / acoustic architecture | Tiny dipole transducers engineered for OpenAudio (size not given) | Bose.com FAQ |
| Active noise cancellation | No; by design they don't block outside sound | Bose.com spec table and FAQ |
| Transparency / ambient | The open fit lets ambient sound in; the Bose app offers automatic volume control instead of noise cancelling | Bose.com FAQ |
| Spatial / 360 audio | Immersive Audio; OpenAudio is Bose's name for private open-ear playback | Bose.com product page and FAQ |
| Battery — buds | Up to 7 hours (4 with Immersive Audio or Auto Volume); 48 hours standby. Bose's test notes say up to 7.5 hours, or 4.5 with Immersive Audio | Bose.com spec table, feature card and FAQ |
| Battery — with case | Up to 19.5 more hours from a full case (12 with Immersive Audio on), per Bose's October 2023 tests | Bose.com feature card and test notes |
| Charging | USB-C; a full charge takes 1 hour; 10 minutes in the case adds up to 2 hours; charging accessory included | Bose.com spec table and FAQ |
| Wireless charging | Only with the Wireless Charging Case Cover, sold separately; the 2nd Gen builds it in | Bose.com product page |
| Water / dust — buds | IPX4 | Bose.com spec tableNot rated for swimming. |
| Bluetooth | A2DP streaming, HFP calls and Bluetooth Low Energy; no version or range given (the 2nd Gen lists 5.4) | Bose.com spec table |
| Codecs | AAC, SBC | Bose.com spec tableNo aptX; the 2nd Gen lists no codecs at all. |
| Microphones / calls | Built-in microphone (the 2nd Gen lists 2) | Bose.com spec table |
| On-bud controls | No control map from Bose; settings live in the Bose app | Bose.com spec table and FAQ |
| Multipoint / device switching | Yes, two devices at once, added in a July 2024 firmware update through the Bose app | Bose.com FAQ |
| Sensors | None listed; automatic volume control is named | Bose.com FAQ |
| Weight — one bud | 0.014 lb (about 6.4 g, our conversion) | Bose.com spec table |
| Weight — case | 0.097 lb (about 44.0 g, our conversion) | Bose.com spec table |
| Dimensions — one bud | 0.73 × 0.67 × 1.07 in (height × width × depth) | Bose.com spec table |
| Dimensions — case | 1.65 × 2.56 × 1.04 in (height × width × depth) | Bose.com spec table |
| Finishes | Black, White Smoke, Midnight Violet, Desert Gold, Moonlight Grey, Driftwood Sand, Moonstone Blue | Bose.com product page |
| Phone / OS compatibility | Bluetooth devices; Bose app for firmware, multipoint and Auto Volume | Bose.com spec table and FAQ |
| Find / Fast Pair / UWB | None listed (no Fast Pair, Find My or UWB) | Bose.com spec table |
| Companion app / firmware | Bose app: firmware (including the July 2024 multipoint update), Auto Volume, Immersive Audio | Bose.com FAQ |
| US price | $199 on sale, $299 original (Bose.com, 19 September 2026) | Bose.com product page |
| Price band | Flagship list price; $199 on sale | Based on Bose.com's prices |
| Announced | No date from Bose; its battery tests date from October 2023 | Bose.com product page |
| Availability | Still sold on Bose.com on 19 September 2026 ($199 on sale, $299 original); the 2nd Gen replaced it | Bose.com product page |
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Immersive Audio | Bose's spatial mode; play time drops to about 4 hours with it, or Auto Volume, on | Bose.com feature card |
| OpenAudio | Dipole transducers for rich, private sound without sealing the ear, Bose says | Bose.com FAQ |
| Wireless charging cover | Sold separately as the Wireless Charging Case Cover; the 2nd Gen's case charges wirelessly on its own | Bose.com product page |
| Quick charge | 10 minutes in the case gives about 2 hours of play | Bose.com FAQ |
| Against Ultra Open (2nd Gen) | This pair: 7 hours, AAC and SBC, USB-C with an optional wireless cover, $199 on sale ($299 original). 2nd Gen: 9 hours, Bluetooth 5.4, wireless charging built in, $299, no codec list | Bose.com pages for both generations |
What the 2nd Gen changed
| Spec | Ultra Open Earbuds | Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery per charge | Up to 7 hours | Up to 9 hours |
| Case top-up | Up to 19.5 hours | Up to 19.5 hours |
| Wireless charging | With a separate cover | Built into the case |
| Bluetooth version | Not given | 5.4 |
| Codecs | AAC, SBC | None listed |
| Microphones | Built-in microphone | 2 |
| Price | $199 on sale, $299 original | $299 |
The 2nd Gen’s gains are battery and convenience: two more hours per charge and a case that charges on a pad. This pair keeps a published codec list and costs less on sale. Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) covers the newer pair.
No noise cancelling, by design
Nothing goes into your ear canal: the cuff sits on the outside of the ear, and you adjust the fit by sliding it slightly up or down. By design, Bose says, they don’t block the world and have no noise cancelling, so traffic and voices stay audible. In noisy places, the Bose app’s automatic volume control adjusts the level for you, at a cost to battery.
The sound comes from tiny dipole transducers that Bose calls OpenAudio, designed for rich, private sound without sealing the ear. Immersive Audio adds Bose’s spatial mode on top.
Battery and charging
| Mode | Ultra Open Earbuds |
|---|---|
| Standard | Up to 7 hours |
| Immersive Audio or Auto Volume | Up to 4 hours |
| Standby | Up to 48 hours |
| Fully charged case | Up to 19.5 more hours (12 with Immersive Audio on) |
| Quick charge | 10 minutes for up to 2 hours |
| Full recharge | 1 hour |
Seven hours is two fewer than the 2nd Gen manages, and the extras cut it to 4, so if you leave Immersive Audio on you’ll be back in the case often. The quick charge helps: 10 minutes buys up to 2 hours.
Calls, codecs and multipoint
Bose lists a built-in microphone for calls, with no count and no named voice feature. Music streams over AAC or SBC through the standard A2DP profile, calls use HFP, and Bluetooth Low Energy is listed too. Multipoint came in a July 2024 firmware update that you install through the Bose app; after it, the buds stay connected to two devices at once.
Price and colors
Bose.com listed the first-generation Ultra Open at $199 on sale on 19 September 2026, down from $299, in Black, White Smoke, Midnight Violet, Desert Gold, Moonlight Grey, Driftwood Sand and Moonstone Blue. At $199 it undercuts the 2nd Gen by enough to make up for two fewer hours and a case that needs a cover to charge wirelessly; at $299 it doesn’t. Sale prices come and go, so confirm the price on the day.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Bose.com — Ultra Open Earbuds — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Is this the 2nd Gen Ultra Open?
No. This is the first-generation pair. The 2nd Gen is rated for 9 hours instead of 7, lists Bluetooth 5.4, charges wirelessly without a cover and costs $299.
Do they cancel noise?
No. By design they don't block the world: the cuff leaves your ear open, and there's no noise cancelling to switch on. The Bose app offers automatic volume control instead.
Can I keep them paired to my phone and laptop at once?
Yes. A July 2024 firmware update added Bluetooth multipoint for two source devices at the same time; install it through the Bose app.
Can I charge them wirelessly?
Only with a cover. Bose sells a Wireless Charging Case Cover separately; without it you charge the case by USB-C cable. The 2nd Gen's case charges wirelessly on its own.
Are they good for workouts?
Yes, by Bose's account: it recommends this cuff for exercise for its stability, and the buds are IPX4 against sweat and splashes.
Which phones do they work with?
Any Bluetooth phone or tablet. They stream over AAC or SBC, and the Bose app handles firmware, multipoint and Auto Volume.
Official product page: Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. Tech specs: Bose Ultra Open Earbuds specs.