Apple this week rolled out a new firmware update for its Beats Studio Buds that adds a couple of handy new features and controls — including instant pairing for all your Apple devices over iCloud.
Instant pairing, which was already available on AirPods, means users no longer have to connect Beats Studio Buds to all their Apple devices individually.
Beats Studio Buds get big firmware update
Beats Studio Buds made their initial debut last June, offering the best of AirPods Pro — including active noise cancellation — for $100 less. One thing they don’t have, however, is the Apple H1 chip made just for headphones.
That’s likely because, unlike AirPods, Beats Studio Buds are fully-compatible with Android. This meant, however, that they initially missed out on some features that AirPods owners get to enjoy, but those are slowly coming.
Apple’s latest firmware update for Beats Studio Buds adds instant pairing through iCloud for the first time. That means that once you’ve paired them with one Apple device, they’ll be available across all your Apple devices with one tap.
Instant pairing works not only on iPhone and iPad, but also on Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.
New volume controls and battery status popup
That’s not all this update brings. A new battery status popup on iPhone, which you can trigger by bringing your Beats Studio Buds case close to your device, quickly shows you how much juice you have left.
Apple has also added the ability to control volume using the Buds’ built-in “b” button. You can configure it to trigger volume up/down via the Bluetooth menu on iPhone and iPad, or using the Beats app on Android.
Sadly, Cupertino still hasn’t given us the ability to start headphone firmware updates manually. Instead, they roll out on their own while the buds are connected to your smartphone. Putting them on charge can help.
