Apple's New Powerbeats Pro 2 Will Measure Heart Rate From Your Ears

[McScooby]

The AirPods Pro 2 are still the flagship and will remain the flagship until the Pro 3s are released, probably at the same time (or before) the Beats. Apple also just announced a huge (free!) update to the Pro 2s that aren't coming to any other product. Chill out, this alleged feature hasn't even been announced and for all we know may never be.

Maybe I'm just not so chill as I need a new pair of pros & resent paying for last years model.

 

[jarman92]

Maybe I'm just not so chill as I need a new pair of pros & resent paying for last years model.

Apple has like 2 billion customers, sorry they don't operate on your personal schedule. As always, you should buy a product when you need/want it because there will always be a newer model on the horizon. Though in this case you're probably better off waiting a few months, if possible.

 

[Student of Life]

AirPods Pro 3 Tease

Not really unless the AirPod Pros are completely redesigned. The Power Beats stay on when doing basically anything and everything so it can get a good heart rate measurement. In certain physical activities the AirPod Pros will just fall off.

Remember the Apple Watch is basically useless to non iPhone users, thats where these PowerBeats come in and its a great way to differentiate the product line.

 

[Brien]

Orange are an instant buy. Please let the case not suck.

 

[CarAnalogy]

This year in particular seems like a huge mess

Clearly a very transitional period. They tried to emphasize that the new chip in the Pro uses a lot less power, so they may have landed on a good process node right now.

But the rest of the lineup seems like a combination of reactionary and preparatory products.

Hopefully next year will be better. They need to slow down a little bit and focus more. They are far enough ahead in enough areas that they really, really need a year of refinement like so many people have been wanting for so long now.

 

[svish]

Good to know. This should make its way to AirPods Pro in the future.

 

[reallynotnick]

I wonder if heart rate is the reason they announced these so early, because otherwise they would have got leaked with some sort of testing/certification?

Either way, this plus ANC definitely makes me interested in purchasing.

 

[villagehiker]

Apple can hear and cancel heart sounds beating in your ear.

 

[Greenmeenie]

I loved my old PowerBeat Pros but I lost one of them, and the other one is dying after years of use. I tried the in the ear buds & airpods, but they don’t stay in my ears. The PowerBeat Pros are the best style for those with an active lifestyle. I was going to wait until March for the possible release of the PowerBeat Pro 2… but decided to buy another pair of the gen one model. Even tho the usbc/wireless charging would be nice, i don’t need heart monitoring as my apple watch already does that. Plus I got a great deal on the gen one model. $100. Can’t beat that. 😉

 

[userblah]

My watch already does that… don’t need to upgrade here either. Although I dig that bright orange.

For most people, watch-based is probably "good enough," but accuracy matters for athletes or anyone with serious heart conditions, and there's always room to improve.

ECG is the gold standard for heart rate tracking, with chest straps being the next best. But since wearing an ECG all day isn't practical and most people hate chest straps, the goal is to find a better alternative.

Wrist-based heart rate tracking is notoriously unreliable. Things like skin tone, tattoos, placement, fit, movement, and body fat all affect accuracy. Ear-based tracking isn't perfect, but it avoids many wrist-related issues—assuming you can get the earbuds to fit right.