Apple has lifted the lid on its new wireless charging earphones.
Powerbeats Pro, released under the Beats by Dre brand, are wire-free and come with a charging case similar to that of AirPods, offering up to nine hours of listening time.
Set to be released in May, Powerbeats Pro have a US$250 price tag (£219.95 in the UK), delivering “powerful, balanced sound with dynamic range and noise isolation for a premium listening experience,” according to a Beats by Dre press release.
“Powerbeats Pro earphones are built to revolutionise your workouts,” says the pre-order website. “With zero wires to hold you back, you’ll always have your music to motivate you.”
“We listened to real athletes and we heard that nothing was more important than sound. Powerbeats Pro delivers powerful, balanced sound with dynamic range and noise isolation for a premium listening experience.”
AirPods or Powerbeats?
Unlike AirPods, Powerbeats offer dedicated volume buttons for adjusting the sound, and a button for answering, declining and ending phone calls. You can also change tracks with a dedicated button, rather than a tap on AirPods, although both earphones automatically detect when they’re in your ears and will play and pause music and other content accordingly.
Another similarity between AirPods and Powerbeats is that they come in a charging case that can add up to 24 hours of playback – on top of the nine hours already offered by the earbuds. This is more than AirPods 2, making Powerbeats an attractive option for on-the-go athletes.
If you’re in a rush and want to listen to music on your jog or on the way to work, then you can take advantage of the ‘Fast Fuel’ feature that offers up to 90 minutes playback from just five minutes of charging, a very useful feature for Beat’s sports-focused customers. AirPods 2 offers a similar fast-charging function, but it takes 15 minutes and offers up to 3 hours charge.
Also similar to AirPods is the chip – Apple has added an H1 chip to the earphones, offering better connectivity and performance, whilst Class 1 Bluetooth technology offers better range.
Available in Black, Ivory, Moss, and Navy, the Powerbeats Pro will be released next month in 20 territories around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
