Powerbeats Pro 2 overtake Apple: AirPods Pro 3 with heart rate sensor missing
With the launch of the latest Beats earbuds, the current AirPods Pro from 2022 only look even more outdated.
AirPods Pro 2 with lanyard: time for an update.
(Image: Apple)
Following the launch of the Powerbeats Pro 2 from Apple subsidiary Beats, the iPhone company finds itself in an unusual position: the current – and expensive – AirPods Pro 2 are no longer state-of-the-art. This will apparently remain the case for some time to come. According to a report by the financial news agency Bloomberg, the presentation of the third generation AirPods Pro will still take "months".
Technical refinements
The Powerbeats Pro 2 had made a big technical leap. Not only do they feature active noise cancellation (ANC) for the first time, putting them on a par with the AirPods Pro 2, they are also the very first Apple device to include integrated heart rate measurement with a tiny optical sensor on the ear. Furthermore, unlike the AirPods, the earbuds are sweat and water resistant to IPX4.
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They come with more ear tips to choose from than the AirPods Pro 2 and have a clip that holds them in the ears. The battery housing can be charged wirelessly via Qi and Apple uses the latest H2 audio chip. Instead of just one color as with the AirPods, there are four colors. Only functions such as the hearing aid feature of the AirPods Pro 2 have not yet been implemented, even though this would be technically possible. Only the price of the Powerbeats Pro 2 is higher: they cost 300 euros from the manufacturer, which is 20 euros more than the AirPods Pro 2( (starting from 179,91 €) even cheaperin stores (starting from 179,91 €)).
AirPods Pro 2 from 2022
Apple launched the AirPods Pro 2 back in September 2022. One year later, the integrated Lightning connector in the battery case was replaced with a USB-C version, although little else changed internally. The AirPods Pro 2 have now been on the market unchanged for 16 months. They are very popular in stores. The sound is slightly more balanced than that of the Powerbeats Pro 2, which typically emphasize bass.
It remains unclear why Apple needs longer to produce the new AirPods Pro 3 than its Beats counterpart. Apple also seems to assume that the devices have different target groups. Another improvement over the AirPods Pro 2 is the battery life: according to the manufacturer, the Powerbeats Pro 2 last for 10 hours and offer a total of 45 hours of playtime with the battery case. With the AirPods Pro 2, it is six hours in continuous operation and up to 30 hours with recharging in the case.
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