Eight Sleep Debuts Lower-Priced Smart Mattress Cover, Nears $1 Billion in ‘Pod’ Sales

Eight Sleep Inc., a company known for high-tech, temperature-controlled mattress covers, released a new version of its signature “Pod” product at a lower price point and said it’s on track to reach $1 billion in lifetime sales for that line by the end of the year.

Eight Sleep’s systems feature built-in health sensors, customizable temperature controls, a silent alarm and an optional adjustable base designed to elevate the head to relieve back pressure or curb snoring. The $1,999-plus Pod 6 Solo, announced Wednesday, is the first in the lineup with one temperature zone instead of two. It’s aimed at younger users, people with smaller living spaces and those who sleep alone. As such, it’s available for twin beds, in addition to larger bed sizes.

The company also upgraded its flagship system with the $2,699-plus Pod 6, which offers temperature controls on both sides of the bed. Compared with the last generation, the Pod’s hub is 50% smaller, with an enclosure that can fit under most bed frames, not just alongside them. Because it was designed to potentially be used by two people, it’s available for full-size mattresses and larger.

The coming $1 billion milestone is approaching less than a year after the company announced $500 million in Pod sales. To date, the firm has expanded to 37 countries, with mainland China showing especially fast growth, co-founder Alexandra Zatarain said in an interview.

Founded in 2014, New York-based Eight Sleep has gained popularity among athletes, tech executives and early adopters. But it faces competition from a few directions. Fitness-band maker Whoop Inc. and smart ring pioneer Oura Inc. employ similar sensors to track users’ sleep and overall wellness. Hatch Baby Inc., another consumer brand in the smart-home space, is getting into adult sleep tracking with a nightstand device.

Eight Sleep, for its part, has attempted to stand out by measuring cardiovascular and respiratory metrics directly from the bed without requiring the user to wear a device.

Compared with earlier editions in the series, the Pod 6 includes more advanced internal technology, including nine times more biometric sensors to more accurately track metrics like the Sleep Fitness Score and heart rate variability. Meanwhile, a redesigned thermal engine promises faster response times for hot flashes, night sweats or chills, an update aimed at women going through pregnancy or perimenopause.

Unlike wearables that only track data, the Pod intervenes in real time by adjusting temperature to optimize microclimates, regulate circadian rhythms and improve sleep quality.

“Our goal has always been to not just provide data, like wearables do, but to actually do interventions during the night that will help you improve different aspects of your sleep,” Zatarain said.

Eight Sleep is also pursuing clearance with the US Food and Drug Administration and international regulatory bodies to diagnose and mitigate sleep apnea. The goal, Zatarain said, is to make Eight Sleep Pods something that a doctor can prescribe and an insurance provider will cover. She said the company is also exploring similar certifications to support users with other conditions. That could mean, for instance, regulating temperature during cancer treatment.

Eight Sleep, which was valued at $1.5 billion following a $50 million funding round earlier this year, continues to prepare for an eventual initial public offering.

“We don’t have a specific timeline for that because the markets change so much, then there’s always so many factors that come into play,” Zatarain said. “But when we think about where we want to take a sleep, we definitely want businesses to be here 100 years from now.”