Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen), Black review

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) take a deliberately different route from a sealed noise-cancelling earbud: a cuff sits around the ear while a speaker directs sound toward the opening, leaving the ear canal unsealed. The Black US listing is the exact configuration assessed here. Bose describes nine hours of playback per charge with Immersive Audio off, a wireless-charging case, and an IPX4 rating for the earbuds; this is a source-based assessment, not a wear or listening test.

I did not wear, measure, test or own this product. The runtime figures below are manufacturer maximums, not a promise for every volume, call pattern, Bluetooth host, or feature combination.

Open listening is the primary decision

Bose explicitly says the open models do not offer active noise cancellation. The cuff does not plug the canal, so it leaves more of the surrounding sound available than a conventional sealed earbud. That can suit a walk, desk day or conversation-heavy routine where awareness matters. It is not a substitute for a sealed fit on a loud flight, and an open layout is not a safety feature: remain attentive to traffic and other hazards. Bose's promotional description of private sound is not a guarantee that nearby people cannot hear it at a chosen volume.

The shape is also distinct from the newer Sport Open. Ultra Open's metal-capped cuff wraps around the ear without a silicone tip; Sport Open uses a soft C-arm cuff aimed at exercise. Bose presents this second-generation Ultra as an evolution of its first cuff-style Ultra Open rather than an earhook or bone-conduction headset. The useful fit question is whether a cuff feels secure and comfortable on your particular ear; a product description cannot answer that for you.

Features have separate battery costs

Bose’s 2026 launch announcement and owner guide list up to nine hours with Immersive Audio and Auto Volume off, while the current model-specific battery-help page says up to ten hours in that standard setting. Its owner guide gives five hours when either Immersive Audio or Auto Volume is enabled, and four hours when both are on. Bose does not explain the nine-versus-ten-hour difference, so both primary-source claims remain visible. The new Cinema Mode and TrueSpatial processing are further features to evaluate as part of that listening tradeoff; do not assume the standard nine-hour maximum applies with every immersive or automatic-volume feature enabled. Bose's September announcement says the case stores up to 19.5 additional hours, but the April 2026 owner guide reports up to 28.5 hours under its own test conditions (and lower totals with the extra features). Those official claims conflict, so this review does not present a single settled case-runtime total. A ten-minute charge is advertised to add up to two hours, but actual results depend on use and battery state.

The charging case supports both wireless charging and USB-C. It is a convenience feature, not evidence that the case itself shares the earbuds' IPX4 protection: Bose's model guide rates the earbuds IPX4 and the case not water resistant. Keep the case dry, and follow Bose's instructions about drying the earbuds before returning them to charge. The supplied cable/adapter situation should be checked against the exact box and your existing charger before purchase.

Connection and compatibility

Bose documents Bluetooth Core 5.4, SBC and AAC, Google Fast Pair, and two-device multipoint. These are separate practical needs. A basic Classic Audio session uses a compatible phone or computer and one active audio source; multipoint lets two devices remain connected while playback comes from one at a time. The 2026 product announcement lists aptX Adaptive support for Snapdragon Sound-compatible Android devices on Ultra Open 2. That is a source-dependent option, not a universal benefit: the host must expose the matching Snapdragon Sound capability. This review keeps the codec and two-device switching as distinct plans rather than promising every feature simultaneously.

On the manufacturer evidence, the strongest fit is a listener who specifically wants an open cuff, wants to retain access to ambient sound, and values wireless case charging or spatial/immersive options. The main reasons to look elsewhere are equally concrete: no ANC, no sealed passive barrier, personal ear-shape uncertainty, and lower published runtime with Immersive Audio or Auto Volume enabled. For a sealed work or travel setup, consider Bose's QuietComfort models instead and compare the exact fit kit and ANC runtime. For a workout-first open cuff with a different physical design and an IP54 product rating, compare the 2026 Sport Open.

Questions to answer before choosing

First, will you tolerate an around-ear cuff for the lengths of time you plan to wear it? Bose's fit imagery is not a personal fit check. Second, do you actually want an open design, even in noisy surroundings, or are you expecting noise cancellation? Third, will your phone benefit from aptX Adaptive, and will you use Immersive Audio or Auto Volume often enough to make the reduced battery maximum relevant? Finally, decide whether the wireless case is useful and remember it is not rated for water. Confirm the Black finish, second-generation model, complete box contents, return terms and warranty with the seller; Bose has several visually similar generations and a separate Sport Open model.

Finish references: Ultra Open 2

These Bose US product-page images help distinguish the four other observed finishes from the Black configuration assessed above. They are finish-only identifiers, not separate performance assessments; the White Smoke image is a lifestyle photograph, while the other three show the earbuds without the case. Product color may look different under other lighting.

Sources: Bose's 2026 open-ear product announcement, the US Black Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) product page, the model-specific Ultra Open 2 owner guide, and Bose's current model-specific battery-help page.