Apple’s custom-designed W1 chip has had an addition to its lineup with the Beats Studio 3 headphones that will automatically pair to devices including the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.
On one hand, headphones with the W1 chip are no different to any other wireless models, giving you the ability to pair them with any Bluetooth device. However, if you’ve ever gone through this process you’ll know that it can sometimes be tricky to enter pairing mode and choose the headphones from the menu to complete the connection. The W1 chip allows headphones to “just work” when using them with an Apple compatible device.
One of the new features for the Studio 3 is adaptive noise cancelling. To do this, the headphones listen to the surrounding environment and adjust the intensity of noise cancellation. This relies on two integrated microphones that detect ambient sound and compares the waveforms to the sound file of the music. With this feature enabled, battery life on the headphones is 22 hours but when disabled, they boast an impressive 40 hour lifespan.
Aesthetically, the Studio 3 look much like the previous generation but Apple says that the internals have been reworked and the ear cushions are comfortable enough for all-day use. Beats claim that these headphones are more advanced than that of their competitors, Bose.