Sony is bringing its odd-but-serious wearable air conditioner to the US, and the Reon Pocket Pro Plus looks like the company’s clearest attempt yet to make neck-mounted climate control feel less like a gimmick. The new model promises stronger cooling, a better fit, and a companion sensor that helps it react more intelligently to the environment, with US sales set to start in the summer of 2026 through Sony’s online store.
The Reon Pocket line has been a long game for Sony in Japan since 2019, and this launch shows the company still thinks there is a real market for personal temperature control outside the usual fan-and-hoodie routine. That may sound niche, but niche products have a habit of looking smarter once summer heat waves and office thermostats start working against each other.
Reon Pocket Pro Plus specs and price
Sony says the Reon Pocket Pro Plus improves cooling performance by 20% over the previous generation, while the cooling plate can drop an additional 2 degrees Celsius. In Europe, the device sells for €229, and in the UK it is priced at £199. The US price has not been announced yet.
- Cooling performance: 20% better than the previous generation
- Cooling plate: additional 2 degrees Celsius drop
- Battery life: up to 15 hours on the smart cooling setting
- Launch timing: summer of 2026 in the US
How Sony made the wearable easier to live with
The biggest changes are physical. Sony added a flexible neckband meant to grip the shoulders more securely, so the device is less likely to slide around while walking or bending over. The exhaust vent is also adjustable, which should help prevent hot air from getting trapped beneath a high collar or jacket – a small fix, but the kind that usually separates a clever gadget from one that ends up in a drawer.
Inside, the device uses dual thermo-modules and a sensor system to monitor skin temperature. If you use the companion app, you can set a target temperature and let the smart modes adjust output as conditions change. If you would rather keep your phone in your pocket, there are physical buttons on the side for power and switching between heating and cooling.
The Reon Pocket Tag 2 adds ambient sensing
Sony is also selling the Wearable Sensing Device, or Reon Pocket Tag 2, alongside the main unit. It clips to a bag or belt loop and measures ambient temperature and humidity, then feeds that data back to the wearable so it can respond more accurately. That extra sensor layer is a sign Sony is trying to make the product feel less like a novelty and more like a self-adjusting system, which is a far better sales pitch than ”portable AC for your neck.”
The obvious question is whether buyers want a premium wearable cooler enough to pay smartphone-adjacent money for it. Sony clearly thinks the answer is yes, and the US release will show whether there is a broader appetite for personal climate hardware beyond its home market.