Apple launches $350 Beats Studio 3 Wireless headphones with W1 chip, improved noise cancel...
Apple on Monday updated its top-of-the-line Beats Studio headphones, giving them the W1 chip for simple pairing, and also adding more advanced noise cancelation technology.
The new Beats Studio 3 Wireless headphones are now available to preorder from Apple, and ship in mid-October. They come in "Shadow Gray," "Porcelain Rose," "Matte Black," white, red, and blue.
Priced at $349.95, the Beats Studio 3 Wireless headphones feature what Apple has branded as Pure Adaptive Noise Canceling, which the company says delivers a premium listening experience blocking out distractions. Pure ANC continuously pinpoints and blocks external sounds while automatically responding to individual fit and music playback.
Pure ANC also features real-time audio calibration, constantly optimizing sound output to preserve clarity, range, emotion, and a premium listening experience, Apple said.
Battery life has also been improved, offering up to 22 hours of playback with Pure ANC, or 40 hours if noise canceling is disabled.
Apple has also included its "Fast Fuel" technology, allowing 10 minutes of charging to provide 3 hours of playback. Notably charging is done via a micro USB cable, not Lightning or USB-C.
The Bluetooth headphones feature Apple's W1 chip, allowing automatic syncing between Apple devices logged into the same iCloud account. The update brings Apple's W1 chip to the entire lineup of wireless Beats headphones.
Like the previous Studio headphones, the latest model features onboard call and music controls, as well as volume. The headphones also come with a RemoteTalk Cable with inline controls for wired playback.
The new Beats Studio 3 Wireless headphones are now available to preorder from Apple, and ship in mid-October. They come in "Shadow Gray," "Porcelain Rose," "Matte Black," white, red, and blue.
Priced at $349.95, the Beats Studio 3 Wireless headphones feature what Apple has branded as Pure Adaptive Noise Canceling, which the company says delivers a premium listening experience blocking out distractions. Pure ANC continuously pinpoints and blocks external sounds while automatically responding to individual fit and music playback.
Pure ANC also features real-time audio calibration, constantly optimizing sound output to preserve clarity, range, emotion, and a premium listening experience, Apple said.
Battery life has also been improved, offering up to 22 hours of playback with Pure ANC, or 40 hours if noise canceling is disabled.
Apple has also included its "Fast Fuel" technology, allowing 10 minutes of charging to provide 3 hours of playback. Notably charging is done via a micro USB cable, not Lightning or USB-C.
The Bluetooth headphones feature Apple's W1 chip, allowing automatic syncing between Apple devices logged into the same iCloud account. The update brings Apple's W1 chip to the entire lineup of wireless Beats headphones.
Like the previous Studio headphones, the latest model features onboard call and music controls, as well as volume. The headphones also come with a RemoteTalk Cable with inline controls for wired playback.
Comments
So let me say something I've said a couple of times before, here on AI: the Beats Wireless Studio is the best pair of headphones I've ever owned. And I've owned a fair number in the past 45 years.
I am at annoyed at this too. Micro USB is the devil and I've basically refused to buy any devices any more that require this. I was absolutely ready to pull the plug on a set of these headphones until I saw that. For me at this point it's Lightning or USB-C or nothing.
It might sound trivial but I actually have more of a problem with the Beats brand. I was surprised apple invested in it. I'm in my 30's and feel too old to wear these - I always see teenagers or very young kids with the colourful ones with them in airports - I'd feel embarrassed to have some.
You made the mistake of not realizing that Apple didn't become the most valuable company in the world, and set records for most revenue ever, by happenstance. When pundits criticized Apple for "overpaying" for Beats, they focused solely on the streaming business, when the secret was the headphone and wireless business. The markups are huge for Beats and Apple is now the largest producer of wireless headphones in the world, and owns over 60% of the entire worldwide market for premium headphones >$200. Because Apple had vision that wireless would soon dominate the world's markets and the value of the Beats brand, Apple's move was a financial stroke of genius. The cash just keeps pouring in when you make good business decisions.
And I agree their streaming service was certaintly not worth anything.
And yes, Beats' streaming service was certainly not worth anything.
2 years later you got the Airpods, which by all measures is a resounding success. You think there is no link?
Jobs knew that profitability was the key to actually getting good products and that's one of the reason he got Cook on board from day one and culled the whole product line.
If buying Beats led eventually to the Airpods (which I'm sure it has) which is 100% a type of product Jobs would support, they've done very good.
Again, I know the temptation is to focus on an "audiophile" approach to the headphone business; hence all the pundits criticizing Apple for not buy a company like Bang and Olufsen, but Apple didn't need nor want that and it would have been a horrible business decision.
This is all getting a bit deep
I basically just wish Apple made a good pair of noise cancelling headphones that a professional adult wouldn't be embarrassed to wear. I'm not some audiophile nerd or anything.
This boils down to a matter of taste of course and I'm just one person, and I'm probably a lot more demanding and particular than most people.