As expected, Beats announced today the Powerbeats Pro, its first true wireless earphones that still retain the over-the-ear hook design of its predecessor launched in late 2016, except that the new generation is completely cordless. The Powerbeats Pro"s design doesn"t entirely come as a surprise as its images first surfaced late last month, courtesy of a hint found in iOS 12.2.
The Powerbeats Pro promises up to nine hours of listening time on a single charge and more than 24 hours of total playback time, thanks to its charging case. The case also supports fast charging to give you 1.5 hours of playback time after a 5-minute charge, according to Beats.
The Apple-owned company also claims the new earphones model is 23 percent smaller than its predecessor and 17 percent lighter. It"s also resistant to sweat and water splash, of course, so it can be a perfect companion for gym goers, for example.
Beats said it also improved the earphones" audio quality compared to the Powerbeats 3 by incorporating a new linear piston driver that uses pressurized airflow to produce better sound. The Powerbeats Pro also promises "balanced sound with dynamic range and noise isolation."
The earphones include volume and track control buttons on both earpieces and automatically pause the playback once you remove them from your ears, owing to its optical sensors. The music continues when you put them back on. It"s powered by Apple"s H1 chip, which means you won"t have to press the earbuds to summon Siri, just say the wake word.
The earphones come in ivory, black, moss, and navy color options and will retail for $250.