Apple Announces Beats Studio Buds+ Wireless Earbuds

From time to time, Apple reminds us that it owns another band called Beats, where products don't necessarily suffer the scrutiny endured by all the Cupertino products, allowing it to innovate and surprise when we least expect it. Beats announced the new Studio Buds+, expanding the Studio Buds lineup with enhanced features for both iOS and Android users, featuring better sound, upgraded Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes, IPX4 sweat and water resistance and up to 36-hours of battery life.

As overall sales of headphones have decreased 4% in the third quarter of 2022, according to market research firm Canalys, the true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds category continues to lead in the personal audio space. Among the winners in this extremely competitive, low margin environment, Apple stands out with the second-generation AirPods Pro generating an important boost in sales in that quarter - and most likely all through the holidays.

Apple shuffled the cards again with the introduction of the latest Beats Fit Pro advanced true wireless earbuds. The new product leverages all the technologies Apple developed for the AirPods Pro, including the H1 chip, and features an all-new flexible wingtip and a custom-developed acoustic platform, retailing for just $199.99. ANC, Transparency, Adaptive EQ, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and four different color schemes make these the new flagship.

Beats - the leading audio brand that also belongs to Apple - announced Beats Studio Buds, a new powerful true wireless earbud design that delivers a high-quality audio experience in a new, lightweight and comfortable design. Sweat- and water-resistant earbuds with an IPX4 rating and up to 24 hours of battery life, the new Beats Studio Buds add quality Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency and for the first time ever, convenient one-touch pairing to both iOS and Android users.

Consumer appetite for premium headphones continues to grow, with global revenues rising five times faster than shipments in Q1 2019, according to the latest market tracker report from Futuresource Consulting. As the CE Team at Futuresource highlights in its latest update of the Worldwide Headphone Market Report, headphone market revenues have reached $5.9 billion. True wireless maintained its ascendance, outperforming all other form factors with growth of 223% in units and 188% in value.

True wireless headphones sales have enjoyed extraordinary growth in the past year. After a very successful Q4 2018, which saw shipments reach a total equal to the previous three quarters combined, Q1 2019 witnessed year-on-year growth of 223% in units and 188% in revenue. Consumers appear to enjoy the freedom that truly wireless products bring. Although, the continued domination by AirPods does still mean that the market remains a largely Apple phenomenon.

Beats is an Apple-owned company. As Beats benefits increasingly - and exclusively - from Apple's own technologies and developments, this also means that we get new Beats products after Apple's own releases. So, the new Powerbeats Pro are unveiled after the second-generation AirPods, because they use the same H1 wireless chip. Otherwise, they are Beats first true wireless, and a totally different product.