Sony has just announced a new wearable, and it’s not your typical smartwatch, fitness tracker, pair of AI smart glasses. It’s something a lot more practical. The company has introduced the Reon Pocket Pro Plus, which is the newest version of its wearable cooling device. The Reon line has been around for a while now, starting as a crowdfunding project back in 2019. After expanding across Asia and a few Western markets, the upgraded model is now heading to the UK and Europe.
How the Sony wearable keeps you cool
The Reon Pocket Pro Plus is not just a fan strapped to your collar. It relies on the Peltier effect, with an electrically cooled metal plate that sits at the base of the neck. The positioning is deliberate as the wearable targets an area where cooling can feel more immediate because of blood flow near the surface. Sony claims that the new model offers a 2-degree Celsius, or 3.6-degree Fahrenheit, improvement in cooling performance compared to its predecessor.
Sony is claiming a 20% improvement, which is further supplemented by a refined cooling algorithm that monitors temperature changes on the device and the surrounding environment.
The broad design of the Reon Pocket Pro Plus is similar to the older Reon Pocket Pro model. So it also sits at the back of your neck, under your shirt, and uses a small fan to help move air around the area. Sony has improved the fit, though, making the device more stable on the neck and shoulders. Meaning, you don’t need to worry about the Reon Pocket Pro Plus falling off while moving around. Sony has also added an automatic shutdown mechanism designed to protect the device from overheating.
What else is new?
Sony is bundling the Reon Pocket Pro Plus with a second-generation Pocket Tag, which is smaller than before and monitors ambient temperature and humidity. To put things simply, it monitors ambient temperature and humidity for better cooling. There’s also a companion app for manual controls and customization, but you don’t need a phone to use it fully. On a single full charge, the Reon Pocket Pro Plus can run for up to 10 hours on the second-highest cooling setting.
The company has just announced that the Reon Pocket Pro Plus costs £199 in the UK and €220 in Europe. Although the US availability has yet to be confirmed.