- UK startup Somni claims to have invented the world’s first “battery-free streaming earbuds for sleep”
- The earbuds are small and wireless, made to be comfortable to use in any sleeping position
- According to SomniBuds, these sleep buds never need to be charged — but a few things remain unclear
A British startup claims to have found the perfect solution to many sleeping woes. Whether you struggle with insomnia or need a little white noise to fall asleep, these new earbuds could potentially help.
SomniBuds are flat and small streaming earbuds that are made to be used while sleeping. Thanks to their unusual shape, they’re apparently optimized for every sleeping position. And although they’re completely wireless, SomniBuds also claims that you’ll never have to go out of your way to recharge them.
So are these sleep buds a strong new alternative to the likes of the Loop Dream, and how do they work? Here’s everything we know so far.
What are SomniBuds, and how do they work?
SomniBuds are streaming earbuds for sleeping, made by UK startup Somni. They’re not the only sleeping earbuds or earplugs out there – alternatives, such as the Bose Sleepbuds II, have been around a while, alongside newer contenders like the aforementioned Loop Dream. However, Somni claims that its new buds have a few things that the competition doesn’t offer.
The biggest standout feature is the fact that these earbuds don’t have a battery. They’re also wireless, which might make for a confusing combination. How can battery-free hardware be wireless and yet never need to be recharged?
Admittedly, the technical details are still pretty scarce here, but Somni claims that you won’t need to use a charging case or a similar device. Instead, you’ll place the SomniMat, which is a charging mat made specifically for these earbuds, under your pillow or your mattress. While you sleep, the earphones will wirelessly connect to the charging mat, enabling them to run all night long.
On paper, this sounds fantastic. However, it’s unclear just how reliable the connection between the mat and the earbuds will be. Will this charging style work in every sleeping position? What if you roll over to the other side of the bed? Those are some of the things we’re looking forward to exploring during some in-person listening, but the signs from our friends at Shortlist(who have been trying out a pair) are very promising.
SomniBuds are 3mm thin and have a flat, unobtrusive design that looks like it’d be comfortable to sleep in – well, at least as comfortable as sleeping with something in your ears can ever be. The startup claims that the earphones are a quarter of the size of traditional Bluetooth sleepbuds.
SomniBuds won’t require an app to use and can be paired with any kind of audio, including Spotify, podcasts, movies, and white noise apps.
How can you try SomniBuds?
So, how can you actually try these out? This is where more questions start cropping up. The earbuds are not yet available for sale, but we do know a few things about what’s in store for them this year.
Somni promises that the SomniBuds will be available through Kickstarter in “late summer”, so we can’t have too long to wait now.
However, if you’re really excited about these, you can pay $1 to get a 33% discount that you can use when they do come out. You just need to reserve a spot, although Somni says that only 300 early backers will be allowed to sign up.
The SomniBuds (presumably complete with the charging mat) will be priced at $229 / £224 (around AU$465) without the discount, and $199 / £149 (about AU$310) with the 33% off deal. Early backers will also receive a bonus pair of earbuds.
As with any Kickstarter or crowdfunded project, all of the usual caveats apply and it’s important to be cautious. We have no guarantee that these earbuds will make it to market at all, and it’s unclear when they’ll be fully available for sale.
However, if you’re struggling for shuteye and are looking for some earbuds that are designed specifically for sleep, they could be a new contender to watch out for –particularly if those charging-free claims hold up during real-world use.
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monicajwrites@gmail.com (Monica J. White)
