„Powerbeats Pro 2 tick all the boxes with heart rate monitoring, slimmer design, H2 chip, more“

Apple shoppte sich Beats vor knapp 11 Jahren; die Beziehung zwischen den zwei Firmen, die ohne Frage separat geleitet werden, bleibt faszinierend.

The last several releases from Beats, such as the Studio Buds Plus and Solo 4 headphones, have been powered by a custom Beats chip rather than an Apple-designed chip like what’s used in AirPods. For Beats, this has enabled better cross-platform support for Android users, but it’s also come at the cost of several popular features for Apple fans. For example, the Studio Buds Plus lack support for automatic in-ear detection, iCloud pairing, automatic device switching, personalized spatial audio, and more.

With the Powerbeats Pro 2, Beats has gone back to its roots and opted for an Apple-designed chip. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are powered by Apple’s H2 chip, the same chip used by the latest-generation AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4. This means you get the full suite of Apple-focused audio features.

Chance Miller | 9to5mac

Oder:

Beats has an optical heart rate sensor and accelerometer in each bud. It leverages the same tech as the Apple Watch, and the algorithm takes data from each earbud for increased accuracy. That’s neat considering most heart rate-capable earbuds only have a sensor in one bud. […]

It worked with a few Ladder workouts, except when I also wanted to use my Apple Watch. In that instance, I didn’t get to choose which device provided the heart rate data. In a briefing, Apple and Beats told me it’ll always default to the watch. Conversely, when I tested the Sennheiser buds, or whenever I use a chest strap, I can set the watch to take heart rate data from those instead. The lack of choice is a bit irksome given the ear is purportedly a more accurate place to derive heart rate data from than the wrist.

You’re limited to the partner apps available at launch, and a lot are missing. Apple spokesperson Erin Manago confirmed even Apple’s Fitness Plus isn’t compatible yet, though she said they’re working on building out compatible apps.

Victoria Song | The Verge

Beats Kopfhörer bleiben „AirPods Sport“; sie lassen Apples weißen Kopfhörern ihre (Marken-)Simplizität und die wertvolle Wiedererkennbarkeit.