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Apple's Beats brand will soon release an entirely wire-free version of its Powerbeats Wireless Earphones designed for workouts, reports CNET. The updated earphones will be similar to the AirPods, in that there will be no wire between them.

Apple won't be cannibalizing its own AirPods sales because Powerbeats are designed for working out, running, and other athletic activities that aren't really meant for AirPods.

powerbeats.jpg
Apple's current Powerbeats earphones​

The newly updated AirPods that Apple launched this week feature an updated H1 chip that brings faster switching between devices, quicker connections when making phone calls, "Hey Siri" support and longer talk time, and this chip could also be included in updated Powerbeats.

The W1 chip that Apple used in the previous version of the AirPods was also incorporated into its Beats headphones.

CNET says that the information comes from a source that has provided reliable details on Apple's plans in the past, with Apple's Beats brand set to release the new earphones in April. Compared to the AirPods, the upcoming Powerbeats could offer better bass and water resistance, as well as the ability to better stay in the ears during rigorous activity.

There's no word on what the new Powerbeats will cost. Apple priced the new AirPods with Wireless Charging Case at $199, and current Powerbeats also cost $199, so the price could potentially go up.

It's not clear if there are other headphone updates in the works that would be announced at the same time as the wire-free Powerbeats, but Apple's Beats brand has not introduced a significant update since summer 2018 when the Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones were updated with a W1 chip.

Article Link: Apple's Beats Brand to Debut New Wire-Free Powerbeats in April
 

adamski23

macrumors regular
Aug 7, 2017
188
241
What's stopping apple from offering Airpods in this form factor as an alternative and call them Active Airpods or something similar. Beats branding seem redundant especially since Apple branding is much more recognizable and perceived to be more premium.
 
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ELman

macrumors 6502
Jul 6, 2017
492
1,317
Finally, something I have been waiting for. Let's hope this model is more sweat resistant than the current line up.
 

Tivoli_

macrumors member
Dec 14, 2017
95
357
Can someone explain what the purpose was of Apple buying Beats that they couldn't design on their own?
What is the return on investment (ROI) on the $ 3 billion purchase? Curated this or curated that was very big in the beginning had died out in conversations also.
So what did Apple really gain by Beats?
 

mdorais

macrumors regular
Apr 28, 2008
153
100
Powerbeats are trash. Mine worked for 1 year then just stopped. Look at the Amazon reviews for these, many similar experiences and many 1 star reviews. For what they cost, buy something more reliable.
 

BigDO

macrumors 65816
Dec 9, 2012
1,268
1,956
Beats are junk.
[doublepost=1553277247][/doublepost]
Can someone explain what the purpose was of Apple buying Beats that they couldn't design on their own?
What is the return on investment (ROI) on the $ 3 billion purchase? Curated this or curated that was very big in the beginning had died out in conversations also.
So what did Apple really gain by Beats?
A streaming service.
 

69Mustang

macrumors 604
Jan 7, 2014
7,895
15,043
In between a rock and a hard place
What's stopping apple from offering Airpods in this form factor as an alternative and call them Active Airpods or something similar. Beats branding seem redundant especially since Apple branding is much more recognizable and perceived to be more premium.
Beats is ecosystem agnostic thus purchased by users of many different brands: Apple, Android, MS, etc. That's why Apple hasn't messed with Beats. It's a worldwide recognized brand. Beats sell because of Beats, not because it's owned by Apple. I'd bet there's a significant portion of the populace that has no idea the two companies are associated. It would make little sense for Apple to interfere with the Beats platform. Augment and improve it? Yes. But change it? Naw man.
 
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