Bose's flagship open earbuds drop to $199 ahead of second-gen launch
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are discounted by 33% to $199, matching their lowest price ever. The clip-on design leaves ears open for ambient awareness, making them ideal for outdoor activities. The discount comes as Bose prepares to release new Sport Open and second-gen Ultra models on October 1.
The clip-on open earbud form factor represents a notable shift in personal audio design, moving away from in-ear seals toward a style that prioritizes environmental awareness. Bose helped bring this design into the mainstream when it launched the Ultra Open model in 2024, a category previously dominated by smaller brands focused on bone-conduction technology.
The current discount arrives strategically ahead of the October 1 release of two new models: the Sport Open and a second-generation Ultra. Shoppers choosing the original version receive the premium sound quality, comfortable fit, and responsive controls that earned it top placement in the reviewer's open earbuds guide, at a price that addresses its primary drawback.
This price reduction could make premium open earbuds more accessible to outdoor exercisers and commuters who value situational awareness while listening. As clip-on designs gain broader acceptance, consumers may increasingly expect this form factor as a standard option across price tiers, potentially influencing how manufacturers approach earbud design, safety features, and competitive pricing in the wider audio market.