Sony’s Wearable AC Keeps You Cool Even in Sweltering Summer Heat

This super cool personal AC slides into the back of your shirt.

Sony Reon Pocket Promo
Sony

Sony first announced the “Reon Pocket” wearable personal air conditioner last year, with a launch date that coincided with the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Though the Coronavirus-delayed Olympics have since been pushed to 2021, Sony is moving forward with its ultra-cool wearable AC. 

Popular Mechanics points out that the smartphone-sized cooling device slides into the inner pocket on a specially-tailored T-shirt, where it sits in direct contact with skin over the upper spine and in between the shoulder blades.

Sony/First Flight

A free app available on the Google Play market for Android and the App Story for iOS  can be used to control the device. In sweltering heat, the Reon Pocket can reportedly cool the body by 23 degrees Fahrenheit. In the winter, a second setting can warm the body by up to 14 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Sony/First Flight

The Reon Pocket works by way of a a thermoelectric Peltier element, a technology typically found in wine coolers. When sensors detect a certain temperature, it either absorbs or releases heat to create a warming or cooling sensation, respectively. A built-in lithium ion battery lasts between two and four hours and takes 2.5 hours to recharge via a USB-C port.  

Sony/First Flight

At press time, the Reon Pocket was listed on Amazon for about $175, but it’s not available to ship to the U.S. We’d like to think that Sony will bring it stateside, but a 2.5 out-of-five-star rating doesn’t bode well for its performance. 

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