Can You Use The Owlet Smart Sock 2 Without The App? (And Has It Been Discontinued?)

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For the better part of the past decade, new parents have used Owlet branded products to track the general well-being of their babies. More recently, they've used the Smart Sock 2 to monitor their child's heart rate and blood oxygen level and receive notifications in the event of potentially dangerous changes. 

If you're unfamiliar with the Owlet Smart Sock, it's a sock-like device that wraps around a child's foot and, through an on-board sensor, reports vital stats back to a base of operations which, in turn, delivers them to a mobile app. The home base and app then, in turn, alert parents to drops or spikes in heart rate and oxygen level, providing an invaluable early warning that even the best of nanny cams or converted Apple Watch monitor cannot. However, as of April 7, 2025, the device's ability to function has significantly changed, with Owlet disabling Smart Sock 2's ability to connect to the internet.

The move was made in response to a notice from the United States Food and Drug Administration regarding the functionality of Owlet's Smart Sock 2. The move to disable the device's internet capabilities has made it impossible to track specific stats through the app, as a connection is required for such reports. However, since Smart Sock 2 is essentially a plug-and-play device, it is still fully functional. So, even if you can't track specifics on the app, you should still get visual alerts through the device's home base whenever worrisome changes are detected.  

If you have been using Owlet's Smart Sock 2 to monitor your child's heart rate and oxygen level, we're guessing your own heart may have skipped a beat when you read the words, "notice from the United States Food and Drug Administration," regarding the device. Fear not, as the FDA did not issue any safety warnings about Owlet's Smart Sock 2. Nor did the government agency order any recall for the device. Rather, the outfit felt the Smart Sock 2 lacked the proper certification for its market.

More specifically, the FDA noted that Smart Sock 2 actually went to market without any testing or certification from the regulatory agency itself. That was deemed an issue because, as the FDA contended, the device's ability to both track a baby's heart rate and oxygen level and alert parents of dangerous changes in either should qualify it as a legitimate medical device. And yes, that qualification requires that it should properly be tested and approved by FDA bosses.

It would seem that Owlet's decision makers either didn't entirely disagree with that assessment, or perhaps just didn't want to get into a tussle with the Food and Drug Administration, as the company chose not to fight the notice. Instead, Owlet opted to simply disable the device's ability to report out specific information to monitoring parents through the app. Moreover, it would seem that Owlet has also taken the extra step to replace Smart Sock 2 in its product line altogether. 

Regarding Owlet's move to disable Smart Sock 2's ability to connect to the internet and, in turn, block its ability to connect to, or send specific numbers to the app, it indeed went into effect on April 7, 2025. As we noted, however, if you own a Smart Sock 2 it is technically still functional, meaning it will continue to track your baby's stats and issue a visual warning through the home base if you choose to go that route. 

That being said, we should make clear that Owlet is no longer making or marketing the Smart Sock 2. Likewise, it is no longer supporting the device in a technical capacity, marking a clear move to fully phase it out of the company's product line. Owlet has not, however, given up on its foot monitoring system. No, Owlet has instead begun manufacturing a new product that, in essence, does everything the Smart Sock 2 did. It's called the Dream Sock, and unlike its predecessor, this device has made its market debut with full clearances from the FDA.

Yes, the Dream Sock wraps around your child's foot and uses an on-board sensor to track a baby's heart rate and oxygen level. And yes, it will send alerts to a base of operations as well as the Owlet app when marked changes in either are detected, making it an essential piece of tech for any new parent. Just so you know, Owlet's Dream Sock can currently be purchased through Amazon for $299.99, if you're interested.