Apple bought Beats from Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine two years before the first AirPods were launched in 2016.
Today, most Beats earphones are very similar to AirPods, while Beats has not introduced any new over-ear headphones since long before AirPods Max first came out in 2020.
However, new Beats Studio Pro cans are rumoured to be in the pipeline for this autumn.
The firm’s latest true wireless earphones are Beats Studio Buds+ and I’ve been using them now for a couple of weeks.
READ MORE: Apple unveils eagerly anticipated Vision Pro augmented reality headset
Essentially, they are an upgraded refresh of earbuds that were released in 2021.
The key improvements are in sound quality, active noise cancellation (ANC), Transparency Mode and battery life.
In fact, 95 per cent of the internals are new. The microphones are larger and offer more sensitivity, which is what boosts the ANC, transparency mode and voice call quality.
They are the best true wireless Bluetooth earbuds yet from Beats; a more affordable alternative to AirPods Pro 2.
They don’t feature personalised spatial audio, automatic device switching, an ear tip fit test or in-ear detection. The latter of these omissions is the biggest deal for me. It means that your content does not automatically pause when you take out your buds.
They do have spatial audio without head tracking, incidentally.
All your other seamless Apple integration features are present and correct, such as one-step pairing, Control Center integration and hands-free Hey Siri voice commands.
Studio Buds+ also appear on Apple devices signed into your iCloud account.
ANC and audio
Both the ANC and the audio are superb.
They are a match in sound quality alongside recently reviewed high-end buds such as Bose QC Earbuds II and Apple AirPods Pro 2, but they have their own tuning that works well on all genres of music and a variety of other content.
They have ample bass but not the overwhelming type associated with Beats audio before Apple took over.
The ANC will not shut out as much of the world as AirPods Pro 2 or the Bose or Sony flagships, but it still does a stellar job, as does the Transparency mode.
My review buds were the black and gold colour, and there’s a superb-looking translucent version option too and an ivory colour. I’d not be surprised if more hues were to be added in the months ahead, based on the approach taken with previous Beats products.
They’re discreet and lightweight and come with tactile physical buttons on each earbud for controls.
Beats Studio Buds+ have slightly different silicone tips to AirPods Pro 2, but the buds are just as snug and comfy to wear for long periods.
One huge selling point is they work as well with Android handsets as with iPhone (which makes them extra useful for tech reviewers like me who generally have both operating systems on the go).
Battery life
Beats Studio Buds+ case charges via USB-C rather than Lightning, as you might expect.
The case’s battery is 50 per cent larger than its predecessor and the batteries in each earbud are 16 per cent larger.
This means you get up to six hours of playback with ANC enabled or nine if you leave it off. The case includes another 18 or 27 hours of power respectively.
The buds are IPX4 rated for water resistance, which means they are suitable for daily exercise and splashes of rain.
Verdict
Apple’s Beats Studio Buds+ have most of the features of AirPods Pro, and even add extra Android compatibility but for less money.
They cost €199.99 from Apple.
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