Something to look forward to: The world is getting hotter all the time, which partly explains the popularity of wearable cooling devices. Sony, which has been making these products since 2019, is launching the latest version of its Reon line, the Reon Pocket Pro Plus, and it's coming to the US.
Sony started development of the Reon back in 2017. A crowdfunding campaign ran in 2019 for the Reon Pocket ahead of its launch in Japan, and it eventually expanded to the West.
Unlike portable neck fans that simply blow air around, the Reon Pocket Pro Plus sits at the base of the neck and presses a cooling plate against the skin. It uses the Peltier effect, transferring heat away from the body through thermoelectric modules, which sounds more sci-fi than wearing a tiny air conditioner down the back of your shirt.
Sony says the new model offers 20% better cooling performance than last year's Reon Pocket Pro. The cooling plate temperature can drop another 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, while an updated algorithm and multiple sensors monitor skin temperature and the surrounding environment in real time. Users can set a preferred temperature range in the companion app, after which Smart mode adjusts the output.
The design has been updated, too. Sony says its Adaptive Hold Design makes the neckband 40% more stable, reducing the small movements that can break contact between the plate and the skin. The exhaust vent can now be extended and angled so warm air is directed away from the body, even under shirts with higher collars.
The bundle includes Sony's Wearable Sensing Device, or Reon Pocket Tag 2, a small clip-on sensor that measures ambient temperature and humidity. The company says the tag feeds extra data to the main unit, helping it respond more accurately to changing conditions. Battery life is rated at up to 15 hours in Smart Cool mode, though Sony notes that this depends on settings and environmental conditions.
The Reon Pocket Pro Plus is launching in the UK and several European countries, priced at £199 or €229. More importantly for US buyers, Sony says this is the first Reon Pocket model headed to the American market, where it will be sold exclusively through Sony's online store in summer 2026. US pricing has not yet been announced, though it's expected to be around $270.