Ozlo, the sleep earbud startup created by former Bose engineers, is launching its next device. On Tuesday, the company unveiled the Sleepbuds 2, an updated version of the original product that features major improvements in battery life, connectivity, sound quality, and more. The price of the new model is $279, a 12% increase over the previous model.
This launch marks Ozlo’s first major update since the launch of the original device and reflects the company’s evolution from a continuation of the Bose brand to its own sleep platform.
The original Sleepbuds, released in late 2024, were meant to fill the hole left by Bose’s departure from the category a year earlier. Ozlo’s co-founders, NB Patil, Brian Mulcahey and Charlie Taylor, were Bose veterans who were deeply involved in the Sleepbuds program and saw the potential to continue the business. They acquired and licensed the Sleepbuds research and IP for their new company, Ozlo, creating their first product that was essentially a continuation of Bose’s earlier efforts.
The initial earbuds, which now have more than 200,000 customers, were smaller and less noticeable than AirPods. This makes them more comfortable to wear at night, especially for side sleepers. It also offered built-in sleep sound, Bluetooth streaming, passive noise cancellation, in-ear alarm, sleep tracking, and other features.
The Sleepbuds 2 promises a number of improvements, including a battery life of 14 hours instead of about 10 hours. The charging case can also store enough power for two to three days of use on a single charge and adds buttons that allow users to play sleep sounds or snooze alarms without having to reach for the phone.
This update also addresses one of the biggest complaints from customers: Bluetooth connectivity. Bluetooth connectivity has improved over time through software updates, but can be unstable. Ozlo claims that the Sleepbuds 2 offers longer Bluetooth range, more stable connection, and dedicated pairing controls for faster setup. The improvements come from redesigned antennas and extenders, Ozlo said.
Additionally, the audio system has been updated with a built-in amplifier for better sound masking and improved sound quality. Custom sound tuning is also new, optimizing audio for specific use cases such as Spoken Word, Airplane Mode, and Focus Mode in addition to Balanced Mode.
Another new feature is Sleep Shield, which blocks incoming calls, alerts, notifications, and Bluetooth audio streaming. This works if the user hasn’t already enabled the phone’s built-in sleep focus mode.
Ozlo’s sleep insights have expanded to include more details about your sleep patterns. The buds’ biometric features monitor breathing and movement, while the case monitors indoor conditions such as noise levels, lighting, and temperature. This can help wearers improve their sleep over time by identifying which sleep environments lead to deeper, more restorative sleep.
In an interview with TechCrunch at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, the company outlined its plans to become a broader platform for sleep data, including plans to use AI to better interpret users’ sleep patterns. It’s also developing an AI ‘sleep buddy’ that users can chat with about their sleep data.
To kick off the launch, Ozlo is offering a sleep mask and travel case with purchase for a limited time. The $279 Sleepbuds 2 also come with four pairs of silicone eartips in various sizes, a charging case, and a USB-C cable.
As a side note, I purchased my own Ozlo Sleepbuds after reading early reviews of the product and found them to be an effective tool for blocking noise and streaming sound and music, and much more comfortable than sleeping on AirPods. They didn’t fall apart overnight.
However, I found that I preferred streaming from the Calm app to using Ozlo’s built-in sound. (Apparently I’m not alone: Ozlo and Calm collaborated last year on a co-branded case that included a one-year subscription to Calm’s library of sleep sounds, stories, and other sleep experiences.)
I’m looking forward to trying out the new Sleepbuds 2 to see if it’s worth the upgrade for existing Sleepbuds owners like me.
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