The redesigned Powerbeats Pro 2 unveiled Tuesday are Apple’s first earbuds to feature built-in heart rate monitoring. The fitness-oriented wireless earbuds feature ear hooks for a secure fit during workouts. Plus, they come with Apple’s H2 chip and bring adaptive EQ, Spatial Audio and improved active noise cancellation with Transparency Mode.
Apple calls the new Powerbeats Pro 2 “the most advanced product we’ve ever developed.”
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds launch with heart rate monitoring
These Bluetooth earbuds feature a heart rate monitor, Apple's H2 chip, active noise canceling with transparency mode, IPX4 water resistance, up to 45-hour battery life (with wireless charging case) and Apple and Android compatibility.
- Monitor heart rate without Apple Watch
- Noise canceling with transparency mode
- Secure fit
- Works great with Apple and Android devices
- Smaller than originals (but still not small)
Building on a long line of popular earbuds that started with original AirPods, the integration of heart rate monitoring eliminates the need for athletes to wear an Apple Watch during workouts, though you still need an iPhone to collect and view the health data. The new Powerbeats Pro 2 continues Apple’s recent push into health-focused audio technology, following the October update that transformed AirPods Pro 2 into medical-grade hearing aids.
Apple’s H2 chip brings better functionality
Rumors panned out that Powerbeats Pro 2 will incorporate Apple’s H2 chip, matching the technology found in current AirPods. Users can expect improved noise cancellation, Spatial Audio with Dynamic Head Tracking, and ANC with Transparency mode. And new color options include eye-catching electric orange.
Apple has been building anticipation for the release through a series of promotional teasers featuring athletes, including MLB star Shohei Ohtani. While these glimpses revealed the product’s existence, technical specifications were kept under wraps until now.
In addition to the added functionality the H2 chip brings, Apple noted the new buds offer an improved, more-secure fit in a lighter, more-compact package. The case is 33% smaller than the last one. And it gives the buds up to 45 hours of battery life. That’s a lot of workouts.
Any, typical of Beats gear, the new buds work great with both Apple and Android devices. They’re compatible with Apple for one-touch pairing, automatic switching, Audio Sharing, hands-free Siri and Find My. And they work well with Android devices, too. The Beats App unlocks one-touch pairing, Heart Rate Monitoring, customizable controls, battery status widgets, and Locate My Beats.
Availability and pricing
Powerbeats Pro 2 pricing positions the new earbuds as a premium offering in Apple’s expanding audio and health technology portfolio, alongside AirPods Pro 2 and Beats Fit Pro earbuds.
You can preorder new Powerbeats Pro 2 in black, quick sand, hyper purple or electric orange colors for $249.99 from Beats, Apple or Amazon. They ship and become available in stores Thursday. They come with five ear tip sizes, from extra small to extra large.
Preorder from: Amazon
These Bluetooth earbuds feature a heart rate monitor, Apple's H2 chip, active noise canceling with transparency mode, IPX4 water resistance, up to 45-hour battery life (with wireless charging case) and Apple and Android compatibility.
- Monitor heart rate without Apple Watch
- Noise canceling with transparency mode
- Secure fit
- Works great with Apple and Android devices
- Smaller than originals (but still not small)
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
