The new Powerbeats Pro will outperform the AirPods 2 in many ways.
This spring has been rich in updates from Apple. New iPad models were presented (including the iPad mini, which seemed to be completely abandoned), new iMacs, various services and the second edition of Air Pods wireless headphones.
It would seem that much more. But last week, Apple presented another novelty - the Powerbeats Pro wireless headphones were quietly introduced, positioned as a great solution for sports. No special statements about the appearance of new items have been made. And perhaps the whole point is that no additional advertising is needed, because the resulting device turned out to be so interesting that it could well compete with AirPods 2.
Apple has always been able to have a strong influence on fashion and technology at the same time. The idea of wireless separate headphones has been around for a long time. But it took the arrival of the first AirPods in September 2016 for this approach to become truly mainstream. Today, there are separate headphones, both from well-known manufacturers such as Samsung, Sennheiser, Xiaomi, JBL and Meizu, as well as from little-known Asian companies.
And although AirPods are by no means ideal headphones, they have become extremely popular due to a number of factors - convenience and ease of use, attractive design, good sound quality (of course, adjusted for design features), fast charging ... And, of course, not forget about fashion. Over the years, a lot of reviews have appeared on the Web from bloggers of all stripes, explaining why no one will ever be able to create worthy analogues of AirPods.
But it seems that Apple itself succeeded. Powerbeats Pro have not yet appeared on sale, but opinions are already being expressed that these headphones will surpass their “big brother” in the face of AirPods 2 in many (if not all) parameters.
The new headphones are completely wireless, just like AirPods. Although previous versions of the Powerbeats were wireless in terms of the need for a physical connection, they still had a wire connecting the earbuds to each other. On the one hand, this seems to be not bad, there is no fear of losing one of the headphones. However, it is completely inconvenient for sports. Especially since the developers have gone to great lengths to ensure that the Powerbeats Pro don't fall out of your ears no matter what somersaults you make. As stated, over 20 different shapes have been tested to ensure the most comfortable fit in the ears.
Add to this the operating time of 9 hours - the best in this category. For comparison, AirPods have only 5 hours. And also protection against moisture penetration - of course, you should not dive with Powerbeats Pro, but they can easily withstand rain and sweat. Let's add a good passive “noise reduction” characteristic of Beats “plugs”, as well as the ability to adjust the volume, which AirPods do not have. And let's not forget about the choice of four colors, because not everyone wants milky white headphones. All these factors make it possible to declare the superiority of the novelty.
However, do not forget that everything written above is only an assumption. Time will tell how good the Powerbeats Pro actually turn out to be, whether their hefty price tag matches the features. On sale new headphones should appear in May, at a price of $250 (on $100 is more expensive than AirPods).
High cost can hinder sales. But the potential of the Powerbeats Pro should not be underestimated. After all, the Powerbeats are the best-selling fitness headphones in the world, and now they're better than ever.
