Owlet Dream Sock vs Smart Sock: Are They the Same Thing?
By Naila Syifa
Updated March 2024
Owlet is a pioneer in baby monitoring technology. Their two products, the Dream Sock and the Smart Sock, sound similar and it can be confusing to understand if they are the same thing or not. We'll deep dive into the differences between the two products so you can understand what the two terms actually refer to.
Key Takeaways
Owlet Dream Sock is a relaunched version of Smart Sock that has been granted FDA clearance. Both models track the same health metrics like pulse rate and blood oxygen, but Smart Sock sends alerts when any of the readings fall outside the preset range, whereas Dream Sock takes into account more holistic Sleep Quality Indicators before sending alerts.
Owlet Dream Sock
FDA-Cleared Smart Baby Monitor
✓ Live Health Readings
✓ Health Notifications
✓ Sleep Quality Indicators
✓ Owlet Dream App
Owlet Smart Sock 3
Smart Baby Monitor
✓ Tracks Heart Rate and Oxygen Levels
✓ Comprehensive Sleep Data and Trends
✓ Base Station and In-App Notifications
✓ Owlet App
#1 Overview
Owlet Smart Sock 3
In 2020, Owlet launched the Smart Sock 3 as a baby monitoring device that allows parents to track their infant's pulse rate and blood oxygen levels and get alerts when the readings fall outside the preset zones.This product was intended as a wellness device, not a medical one, but the live health readings and alerts may mislead parents to think that their baby may be experiencing medical conditions like desaturation or bradycardia.
So, the FDA issued a warning in late 2021, asserting that the smart sock should be classified as a medical device and thus has to be reviewed by the regulator. As a response to the warning, Owlet pulled the Smart Sock 3 from the US and Canadian market.
Owlet Dream Sock
In 2022, Dream Sock was launched as a baby monitoring device similar to its predecessor Smart Sock, but was designed with FDA clearance in mind. The device finally received De Novo clearance from FDA in November 2023, which means that it was "clinically tested in both home and hospital environments, and proven to be as accurate as medical-grade baby monitoring technology and compliant with all relevant performance and safety standards by independent laboratories".
With the clearance, Dream Sock became the first over-the-counter, medical-grade pulse oximeter cleared for infants between 1-18 months and at a weight between 6-30 lbs.
#2 Differences in Features
Owlet Dream Sock
Similar to the discontinued Smart Sock, the Owlet Dream Sock uses advanced sensors to track the baby's pulse rate, oxygen saturation level (SpO2), and sleep trends. If your baby's health readings fall outside the preset ranges, you’ll get notified in real-time through lights and sounds on the included Base Station as well as in-app notifications.
The Dream Sock, however, differs from the Smart Sock in terms of the conditions that trigger the notifications to be sent. The Smart Sock sends alerts when the pulse rate or oxygen level readings fall outside the preset zones. The Dream Sock, in contrast, doesn't send alerts when one of the readings falls outside the preset zones.
Instead, the Dream Sock takes into account four indicators altogether (pulse rate, oxygen levels, wakings, and movement) to determine if your baby is sleeping comfortably or not. If these four indicators, called Sleep Quality Indicators, deviate significantly from the baseline, then you will receive a Sleep Assist prompt to check on your infant.
Dream Sock also uses the new Owlet Dream app, which offers a Predictive Sleep feature. This feature calculates data like the baby's age, sleep time, and sleep duration to predict the baby's wake and sleep windows, so you know when to expect your baby to be awake and asleep.
Owlet Dream Sock vs Smart Sock
Final Thoughts
Owlet Dream Sock
Compared to its predecessor Smart Sock, Owlet Dream Sock is much more holistic in its approach to monitoring a baby's health and sleep, taking into account multiple factors before sending an alert. The new Predictive Sleep technology in the Owlet Dream app also makes it a valuable tool for parents looking to establish a healthy sleep routine for their little ones.
Additionally, with its FDA clearance, parents can have peace of mind knowing that the device has been clinically tested and proven to be as accurate as medical-grade baby monitoring technology.
If you like to read more about Baby Monitor, check out our other relevant guides here:
Owlet Smart Sock 2 vs 3: Key Improvements
Owlet Cam vs Cam 2: Similarities & Differences
Nanit vs Owlet: Which Baby Monitor is Better?
Nanit Pro vs Cubo AI Plus: Which Baby Monitor is Better?
Nanit Pro vs Miku Pro: Which Smart Baby Monitor is the Best?
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