Airpods
Apple plans to release truly wireless Powerbeats Pro headphones from Beats
Ah, so this is how to get black AirPods.
Last week a report by CNET suggested that the Apple-owned headphone maker Beats was gearing up to release a “truly wireless” version of the popular Beats Powerbeats headphones. Now Apple has accidentally-on-purpose leaked their existence, with images and animations buried in yesterday’s iOS 12.2 update.
It’s not uncommon for future products to be outed in operating system updates like this, although it’s usually only oblique product numbers. Product imagery like this is fairly rare, which probably means that the Beats Powerbeats Pro headphones will be announced very shortly.
Those images show a familiar sight, as the headphones themselves are identical to the existing Powerbeats. Of course, there’s one thing missing in the images from the existing set – a wire connecting the two earpieces. That means the Powerbeats Pro will be truly wireless, just like the AirPods made by Beats’ parent company, Apple. That probably also means that Apple technology is going to be in the new Powerbeats Pro earbuds. According to CNET’s reporting, the H1 chip that powers the new AirPods 2 will be in the Powerbeats Pros, which also means that always-on Siri functionality will be a feature.
Battery life is expected to be better than the AirPods, as there’s a lot more space inside the Powerbeats shell to put battery capacity. The existing Powerbeats headphones with the wire can go for up to 12 hours between charges. It’s not known how removing the wire will affect battery life, maybe it’ll be somewhere closer to 6 hours between charges as they can’t share battery capacity. The carrying case should extend that, assuming that it recharges the Powerbeat Pros when stowed.
Powerbeats have long been a viable replacement for AirPods, the combination of longer battery life, better bass and ear hooks to keep them in your ears during workouts has given the Beats set a popular following.
That shouldn’t change with the true wireless version, although if the price is higher than the $200 of the existing set it might put some buyers off until Apple puts out the rumored black AirPods, the Beats Powerbeats Pro is probably your best bet for a non-white set of true wireless earbuds with Siri support.
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Editors’ Recommendations:
- Apple’s long-awaited AirPower outed on AirPods 2 packaging
- Apple finally announces second generation AirPods, which you can buy right freaking now
- Samsung’s $130 Galaxy Buds are the AirPods competitor we’ve been waiting for
- Samsung Galaxy Buds will beat AirPods to wireless charging
- Air.Wear lets you charge your AirPods while you use them
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