Details on the unreleased speaker remain unknown, but it features a similar pill-shaped design to the rest of the Pill family and includes a lanyard that has not been present on previous models. The most recent model in the Pill family was discontinued in 2022, and this new one will likely include a USB-C port, updated Bluetooth specs, and other improvements.
Beats has yet to officially announce the upcoming Beats Pill, so a release date similarly remains unknown.
Apple is expected to announce iOS 18 during its WWDC keynote on June 10, and new features have already been rumored for many apps, including Apple Music, Apple Maps, Calculator, Messages, Notes, Safari, and others. Below, we recap iOS 18 rumors on a per-app basis, based on reports from MacRumors, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, and others: Apple Maps: At least two new Apple Maps features are…
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman outlined some of the new products he expects Apple to announce at its “Let Loose” event on May 7. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. First, Gurman now believes there is a “strong possibility” that the upcoming iPad Pro models will be equipped with Apple’s next-generation M4 chip, rather than the M3 chip that…
Apple’s upcoming iPad Pro models will feature “by far the best OLED tablet panels on the market,” according to Display Supply Chain Consultants. Set to be announced on May 7, the OLED iPad Pro models will feature LTPO (a more power efficient form of OLED), a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, and a tandem stack and glass thinning that will bring “ultra-thin and light displays” that support high…
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman today said that iOS 18 will “overhaul” many of Apple’s built-in apps, including Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness. Gurman did not reveal any specific new features planned for these apps. It was previously rumored that the Notes app will gain support for displaying more math equations, and a built-in option to record voice memos, but this is the first time we have…
Best Buy today has discounted Apple’s M1 iPad Air (64GB Wi-Fi) to a new all-time low price of $399.99 in the Starlight color option, down from $599.99. Best Buy says this deal will last through the end of the day, and it’s only available in one color at this record low price. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a…
Apple has announced it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. The event invitation has a tagline of “Let Loose” and shows an artistic render of an Apple Pencil, suggesting that iPads will be a focus of the event. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more …
With iOS 17.5, Apple is adding a “Repair State” feature that is designed to allow an iPhone to be sent in for service without deactivating Find My and Activation Lock. The fourth iOS 17.5 beta that came out today adds a “Remove This Device” option for all devices in Find My, and using it with an iPhone puts that iPhone into the new Repair State. Right now, sending an iPhone to Apple to be…
Beats today announced the Solo 4, a $200 set of familiar-looking cans with significant upgrades inside, even if they look almost entirely the same as the Solo 3.
At this price, the Solo 4s don’t have any active noise cancellation and, according to Billy Steele, who tested the new headphones, they sound a bit thin. However, sound is generally improved, and the boost to 50 hours of playback (along with USB-C) is a major improvement over the predecessor. They’re available to buy now.
Engadget
Beats also surprised us with new sub-$100 Solo buds, wireless (non-ANC) earbuds with 18 hours of playback. One focus is comfort, with ergonomic acoustic nozzles and vents assisting with audio performance and relieving the pressure on your ears. The Solo Buds will be available in June for $80.
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And penalize low-effort aggregators.
Instagram is overhauling its recommendation algorithm for Reels to support and increase “original content.” It could greatly impact aggregator accounts and other accounts that mostly report other users’ work. The company is also changing how it ranks Reels to boost smaller accounts.
The app’s changes around “original content” could be pretty immediate. Instagram says it will actively replace reposted Reels with the “original” clip in its suggestions when it detects two pieces of identical content. Aggregator accounts that “repeatedly” publish posts from others will be penalized even more harshly. I’ve come across many accounts (often through Reels) that are simply the same viral clip (that isn’t even original) posted and reposted as far as I was willing to scroll. These changes could shrink the chances of coming across lazier content like that.
The Federal Communications Commission has slapped the largest mobile carriers in the US with a collective fine worth $200 million for selling access to their customers’ location information without consent. AT&T was ordered to pay $57 million, while Verizon has a $47 million fine. Meanwhile, Sprint and T-Mobile are facing a penalty with a combined amount of $92 million, as the companies merged two years ago. Apparently, the carriers sold “real-time location information to data aggregators,” and this data ended up “in the hands of bail-bond companies, bounty hunters and other shady actors.”
Fujifilm’s Instax cameras have been around for a while, but the new Instax mini 99, which was released this month, looks more like my X-T2 and other Fujifilm models than yet another plasticky Polaroid. From a distance, it looks like a pricey digital camera, but it costs only $200. It also has modes and filters to customize your tiny instant photos. That flexibility, combined with the understated look, makes for an instant camera I might actually buy (and use).
Apple’s Beats brand today is announcing an update to its most popular line of headphones with the new Beats Solo 4. The on-ear headphones have been re-engineered inside and out to deliver upgraded performance and fit while featuring even longer battery life compared to the previous generation.
On the acoustic front, Beats Solo 4 feature custom-built 40 mm transducers specifically tuned for music and designed to minimize artifacts and distortion, and the on Apple devices the headphones support Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking to immerse you in your audio environment while keeping the sound source anchored to your device as you move around.
Upgraded digital beam-forming microphones and an intelligent noise-learning algorithm trained in over 7,000 hours of exposure to real-world environments help deliver excellent call quality and voice assistant performance.
Beats Solo 4 support three different modes of connection: wirelessly over Bluetooth, wired over USB-C, and wired over a 3.5mm audio connector. Most users will likely opt for wireless connectivity for convenience, but connecting over USB-C offers support for lossless audio and the ability to charge the headphones while listening, while the 3.5mm jack offers a simple connection method for battery-free listening.
If you’re connecting wirelessly, Beats Solo 4 will deliver up to 50 hours of playback, up from 40 hours in the previous generation, while you can take up to 36 hours of phone calls on a single charge. A 10-minute Fast Fuel charge will give you up to five hours of playback time if you’re low on battery.
Active noise cancelation (ANC) is not included on Beats Solo 4, but the on-ear design offers fairly solid passive noise isolation in our testing, keeping even rather loud environmental sounds from intruding much on our listening experience.
Beats Solo 4 include a proprietary Beats chip platform to support both iOS and Android with one-touch pairing, automatic setup across devices, and support for Apple’s Find My and Android’s Find My Device services. iOS users also get access to always-on “Hey Siri” functionality and support for Audio Sharing. The iconic Beats ‘b” button on the ear cups can be configured for music and phone call controls and voice assistant activation, while volume can be controlled by pressing above or below the “b” button.
Overall, Beats Solo 4 retain the same iconic design that has led to over 40 million units sold since the introduction of the original Beats Solo headphones in 2009. Offering a more compact form factor and a cheaper price point than the over-ear Beats Studio Pro, Beats Solo 4 weigh just 217 grams while delivering a comfortable fit thanks to durable UltraPlush ear cushions, infinite-rotation gimbals on the ergonomically angled ear cups, and a flex-grip headband with customizable sliders. We did notice a bit of ear fatigue due to the on-ear design, but adjusting the headphones slightly definitely helped extend our listening session with out too much discomfort.
The case design is essentially the same as that for the Beats Studio Pro, which may not appeal to all users. It’s a compact nylon case with a low-profile carrying/attachment loop and a side zipper, and the interior features a main compartment for the headphones and two small pockets for the included USB-C to USB-C and 3.5mm to 3.5mm cables. As with the slightly larger Studio Pro case, it can be a bit difficult to get the headphones in and out of the case.
Beats Solo 4 come in Matte Black, Slate Blue, and Cloud Pink color options and are available to order starting today from apple.com for $199.99 ahead of a May 2 shipping date.
Alongside the new Beats Solo 4 headphones, Apple’s Beats brand is announcing an all-new entry-level model of earbuds, Beats Solo Buds. Priced at $79.99 and shipping in June, Beats Solo Buds deliver 18 hours of battery life and come in the smallest case ever designed for Beats earbuds.
Beats Solo Buds feature a custom-built acoustic architecture and an ergonomic design with four ear tip size options for a precise fit. There is no active noise cancelation on the Beats Solo Buds, but they do offer passive noise isolation to improve audio quality. A custom microphone design paired with an advanced noise-learning algorithm help deliver improved call quality.
When it comes to battery life, Beats Solo Buds offer up to 18 hours of playback right in the buds themselves without needing to recharge, which is easily the longest battery life for any Beats earbud product.
But when their batteries do run out, you’ll need to find a power source, as the charging case does not include any additional battery storage onboard for recharging directly from the case. That not only helps keep costs down, but also allows for the tiny case that slips easily into a pocket and is 40% smaller than the case for Beats Studio Buds +.
With up to 18 hours of battery life in the buds, most users will be able to go multiple days without needing to recharge Beats Solo Buds at all. When that time comes, however, all they have to do is to connect a power source to the USB-C port on the case, and that power source can even be an iPhone 15. A Fast Fuel feature provides an hour of playback time with just five minutes of charging.
As with most other recent Beats headphones and earphones, Solo Buds include a custom Beats chip platform that allows for tight integration across both iOS and Android with one-touch pairing, automatic setup across devices, and support for Apple’s Find My and Android’s Find My Device services. The Beats ‘b” buttons on the buds can be configured for a variety of functions, including music and phone call controls, voice assistant activation, and volume control.
Beats Solo Buds will begin shipping in June and will be available in four colors: Matte Black, Storm Gray, Arctic Purple, and Transparent Red. With the introduction of Solo Buds, Beats will be discontinuing the standard Beats Studio Buds but will be retaining the more advanced Beats Studio Buds +. The Beats earbud lineup will also continue to include the Beats Fit Pro and Powerbeats Pro, so there will be a full range of truly wireless earphone options to suit all types of users.
Beats is expanding its lineup with two new products: the Beats Solo Buds and Beats Solo 4. The latter is the successor to the company’s most popular headphones, the Beats Solo 3.
Both offerings won’t rival Apple’s AirPods lineup, but if you frequently switch between Android and iPhone, you might like Beats’ new options.
Beats Solo Buds passively block noise
Beats Solo Buds comes in a Transparent Red color. Photo: Beats
The main highlight of the Beats Solo Buds is its long battery life, though this comes at the expense of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). Instead, they block noise passively. Beats claims the Solo Buds feature “ergonomically designed acoustic nozzles” with vents helping relieve pressure during extended uses. The earbuds ship with four ear tips, including XS, to help you get the perfect fit.
Each earbud ships with a claimed custom-designed microphone and an advanced noise-learning algorithm for crystal-clear call quality. You can customize the ‘b’ button to control music playback, trigger your phone’s voice assistant, or control music playback. It is also possible to customize the button’s long-press action. Other features of the Solo Buds include one-touch pairing for both iOS and Android and Find My or Find My Device integration.
While the Solo Buds won’t win any awards for sound quality, it stands out with its battery life. Beats says the earbuds offer the longest battery life in its lineup, with up to 18 hours of playback. While there’s no wireless charging, the charging case supports fast wired charging over USB-C. This means a 5-minute top-up is enough to provide an additional hour of music playback.
The Beats Solo Buds will launch in black, gray, purple, and transparent red colors in June for $79.99.
Beats Solo 4
The Beats Solo 4 comes in three colors. Photo: Beats
The Beats Solo 4 arrives nearly eight years after the Solo 3 and packs some meaningful upgrades. The 217-gram heavy headphones feature UltraPlush cushions for top-notch comfort and durability. Internally, the Solo 4 features custom 40mm transducers for improved clarity and minimal distortion. You also get Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking.
Like the Solo Buds, the Solo 4 works with Android and iOS and features Find My/Find My Device integration, one-touch pairing, and a customizable ‘b’ button. In addition to Bluetooth, the headphones have a USB-C port for lossless audio playback and charging. There’s also a 3.5mm port, which will work even when the headphones are low on battery power.
The Beats Solo 4 offers a claimed battery life of up to 5o hours. You can order the headphones starting today in the US for $199.99 in black, blue, and pink colors.
It’s been rumored for the past several months that Apple plans on releasing an iPad sporting an OLED screen. The tech giant has its work cut out because Wacom has beaten them to the punch as the company has revealed its first OLED tablet known as the Movink.
Provided by Samsung, the 13.3-inch display “delivers Full HD resolution with… a contrast ratio of 100,000:1.” It houses multiple image-enhancing features such as support for the entirety of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Most notably, the Movink is validated for both the Pantone and Pantone SkinTone standards allowing the device to accurately reproduce a wide array of colors and skin complexions.
Something you’ll notice on Wacom’s device is it’s incredibly thin. It measures 4mm at its thickest and only weighs 420g (about a pound). According to the announcement, this makes Movink “66 percent thinner and 55 percent lighter than” the similarly sized Wacom One 13 Touch. The company states in a community post that it was able to achieve this size because the tablet doesn’t possess a backlight. They claim OLED screens are bright enough so the display doesn’t need the extra help.
Since it lacks this component, users won’t have to deal with either excess heat or light leakage. The latter is an effect where light bleeds over to the edges and corners of the screen, ruining the image quality. It’s a common occurrence on LCD displays. The glass on the Movink is covered in an anti-glare coating ensuring clarity in bright environments. Plus, it protects against “color distortion” so artists are free to express themselves without worrying about problems with the output.
(Image credit: Wacom)
Notable features
Setting up the Movink is pretty straightforward. It’s equipped with a USB-C port on the left side which can be used to connect to an external device like a PC. It supports recent versions of Windows, macOS, Android, and ChromeOS. There’s another USB-C on the right for additional power if you need it. On either side of the tablet is a customizable button that can be tied to certain functions like activating or deactivating touchscreen functions.
(Image credit: Wacom)
As part of the Movink package, the company is throwing in a free Wacom Pro Pen 3 complete with a “nib holder” for housing the stylus’ tips. You can, of course, use other pens. A list of compatible styluses can be found on Wacom’s website. The page also has a list of compatible third-party devices. Not every Android, for example, supports the Movink; only a handful work like the Samsung Galaxy S24.
Wacom’s Movink will be available starting May 27 on its official website for $750/£730/$1,300 AUS. As favorable as we are towards the tablet, will it really outperform the OLED iPad, which will offer far more features than just drawing and design? Unlikely. Still, Wacom might get a head start. Industry analyst Ross Young claims Apple’s next device is facing production problems that could lead to delayed shipments.
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If you want new wireless earbuds for your iPhone, the second-generation AirPods Pro are likely your top choice. But Apple offers another pair of earbuds you might consider: Beats Fit Pro. In this Beats Fit Pro vs. AirPods Pro 2 buying guide, we’ll compare the features of these two premium noise-canceling earbuds from Apple.
Do these earbuds provide the same features and sound quality as Apple’s flagship earbuds? Find out in this comparison.
Beats Fit Pro vs. AirPods Pro 2
While second-gen AirPods Pro (aka AirPods Pro 2) is our go-to recommendation for best earbuds for Apple fans, one size does not fit all. AirPods Pro might not suit your needs or fit comfortably in your ears.
Table of contents: Beats Fit Pro vs. AirPods Pro 2
Design and comfort
The AirPods Pro 2 don’t look as sleek as their Beats competitor. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
There is a big difference in the designs of the Beats Fit Pro and the AirPods Pro. The latter’s stemlike design has seen few changes since its introduction in 2019. And while the AirPods Pro fits snugly in my ears, there’s room for improvement.
During my HIIT workout or running sessions, I feel like the AirPods Pro 2 could fall out of my ears. The AirPods are not as sleek as Sony, Samsung and Bose earbuds — or the Beats Fit Pro.
You can get the Beats Fit Pro in an array of colors, including Volt. Photo: Beats
As you can see from the photo above, the Beats Fit Pro offers a sleeker design than AirPods Pro. The Beats earbuds come with integrated wing tips that allow them to sit comfortably in your ears.
This makes the earbuds ideal for running and gym sessions, as their more secure placement ensures they won’t easily fall out. For an even more secure fit, make sure to twist the earbud back and tuck the wingtip into your upper ear.
AirPods Pro are slightly lighter though. Each earbud of the AirPods Pro 2 weighs 5.3 grams, while the Beats Fit Pro weighs 5.6 grams.
Colors and customization options
Apple offers the AirPods Pro 2 in only one color: white. The problem is that this color can easily show scratches and dirt. It won’t look good after a few months of heavy use.
In comparison, the Beats Fit Pro comes in five colors: black, white, gray, purple, volt and a special-edition reflective black. (Beats discontinued blue, pink and colors.) You can get free engraving on either of the earbuds as long as you order them directly from Apple.
Apple bundles four silicone ear tips with AirPods Pro 2, while Beats Fit Pro ships with three pairs of ear tips. Irrespective of which earbuds you get, make sure to use the Ear Tip Fit Test on your iPhone to get a comfortable fit and the best possible audio.
Water- and sweat-resistance: Which earbuds can handle your workouts?
Between the AirPods Pro 2 and the Beats Fit Pro, I prefer the latter’s design and fit, especially when working out. Both earbuds are IPX4-certified and protect against splashes of water, making them suitable for workouts or light rain. The AirPods’ charging case also comes with an IPX4 rating, which the Beats Fit Pro’s case lacks.
Charging cases
That’s not the only difference in the two charging cases. AirPods Pro 2 comes with a rectangular carrying case that weighs 50.8 grams and looks like a dental floss container. It comes with a U1 chip and a built-in speaker. Thanks to Find My integration, you can track the AirPods Pro and the charging case separately, with the speaker capable of playing a loud sound so you can easily find it.
The Beats Fit Pro come in a bigger rectangular charging case, which is also slightly heavier at 55.1 grams. In daily use, I have not had problems carrying the AirPods or the Beats charging cases in my jeans pocket. But I find the AirPods’ case to be better built than the Beats — the latter feels a bit flimsy.
Connectivity and compatibility: H2 vs. H1
The AirPods Pro 2 launched a year later than the Beats Fit Pro, and it’s apparent from the former’s connectivity support. While the AirPods Pro 2 supports Bluetooth 5.3, the Beats Fit Pro uses Bluetooth 5.0. Both earbuds support the SBC and AAC codecs.
AirPods Pro 2 earbuds come with Apple’s H2 chip, while the Beats Fit Pro comes with the H1 chip. Both of these system-in-package chips boost the earbuds’ capabilities, enabling faster pairing, more-reliable connectivity and audio sharing. The H2 chip delivers up to two times better active noise cancellation, increased batter life and a adaptive Transparency mode.
Pairing with devices and Apple ecosystem integration
You can use both earphones with an iPhone or an Android device. Pairing with an iPhone or any other Apple device is easy. Just bring the earbuds next to the device you want to pair, and a pop-up will appear on it automatically.
With a non-Apple device, though, the Beats Fit Pro provides a better experience. You can use the Beats app to control many of the functions of the earbuds, update its firmware, switch between various listening modes, etc. The only feature you miss out on is Spatial Audio. When using AirPods Pro 2 with an Android device, you don’t have any options. Apple does not offer an Android app to manage the AirPods. You will find some third-party apps on the Play Store, but the user experience may prove cumbersome.
If you are heavily into Apple’s ecosystem, both earbuds will provide a great experience. Thanks to the H1 and H2 chips, the Beats Fit Pro and the AirPods Pro can seamlessly switch between your iPhone, Mac and iPad. I found the switching experience better on the AirPods Pro, though, likely due to the newer H2 chip.
Controlling the earbuds
AirPods Pro with their charging case. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
The AirPods Pro’s stem has a force touch sensor, which you use to control music playback and adjust the volume level. A single press can play/pause music or answer a call. Two presses will switch to the next track, while three taps will go back to the previous track. You can press and hold the stem to switch between active noise cancellation and Adaptive Transparency mode. To control the volume, swipe up/down on the stem.
There’s also “Hey Siri” support, so you can ask the voice assistant to make a call, change the music track, adjust the volume and more.
Beats smartly integrated a button into its logo on the Fit Pro on both earbuds. You can press the logo once to play/pause audio, while a double-press will skip to the next track. Using a long-press action, you can toggle between modes, increase/decrease the volume, or reject an incoming call.
Since both earbuds feature a skin-detecting sensor, they automatically pause music playback when you take them off.
Sound quality showdown: AirPods Pro 2 vs. Beats Fit Pro
Each bud of the AirPods Pro 2 packs an 11mm driver with redesigned amplifiers, while the Beats Fit Pro comes with a 9.5mm driver. Thanks to the larger driver and the superior H2 chip (which Apple also uses in its high-end over-ear headphones, AirPods Max), the AirPods Pro offers better sound quality than Beats Fit Pro. The sound is much more clear: I can hear and distinguish between the lows and highs better with AirPods Pro, and the instrument separation is notably superior.
Bass and treble reproduction on the AirPods Pro is also great. The bass packs a punch without becoming overbearing or boomy, and the treble won’t hurt your ears. You get dynamic head tracking and Spatial Audio on both earbuds for an immersive surround sound experience.
On ther other hand, Beats earphones are known for their bass, and the Beats Fit Pro is no exception. If you are a bass head, you will like the Fit Pro’s sound signature. Sadly, you cannot use an equalizer to tweak the sound output from either set of earbuds.
None of this means the Beats Fit Pro’s sound quality is bad. It’s good. But if sound quality is your top priority, the AirPods Pro 2 is the winner. I like the bass output of the Beats earbuds, but overall, music sounds better on the AirPods Pro.
Active noise cancellation and Transparency mode
The Beats Fit Pro deliver impressive sound quality and ANC despite their sleek design. Photo: Beats
Both earbuds offer active noise cancellation, aka ANC. This helps them block out surrounding noise, letting you listen to your music or podcast in peace. Thanks to their design, the earbuds also block a lot of noise passively. I was happy with the ANC on both the AirPods Pro and the Beats Fit Pro. They cancel out all ambient noise with ease. But in daily use, I found the AirPods Pro better at blocking high-pitched noise. This would likely be due to the H2 chip, which powers ANC on the earphones.
Staying aware: How Transparency mode stacks up on Beats Fit Pro vs. AirPods Pro 2
The AirPods Pro 2 and Beats Fit Pro provide three listening modes: ANC, Transparency mode and Off. With Transparency mode, the earbuds use the microphones to let external sound in, so you are aware of your surroundings. This is a useful feature when you want to talk to someone, as you can do so without removing the earbuds.
While the Transparency mode on both earbuds works well, the AirPods Pro has an advantage. They offer Adaptive Audio, which uses a mix of ANC and Transparency modes based on your environment. There’s also Conversation Awareness, where the earbuds will automatically lower the media volume and boost the voice of the person speaking in front of you. And as soon as the conversation ends, your audio volume will gradually go back to its previous level.
Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Audio set the AirPods Pro 2 apart from Beats Fit Pro, as these extra features prove useful in daily use.
Microphone quality
The Beats Fit Pro packs six microphones, five of which are used during calls. These are used alongside a voice accelerometer to better isolate your voice. In comparison, the AirPods Pro packs four microphones, with two of them facing inward. But the earbuds’ stemlike design ensures the microphones are closer to your mouth for better performance.
Most parties could hear my voice better when I used the AirPods Pro 2. The Beats Fit Pro did a decent job, but the clarity could not match Apple’s flagship earbuds.
Battery life and charging
AirPods Pro 2 can last longer than Beats Pro Fit. Photo: Apple
Apple says AirPods Pro can provide up to six hours of music playback with ANC enabled. In my testing, I came close to Apple’s numbers, with the earbuds lasting around 5.5 or 6 hours in most cases. With the Beats Fit Pro, the claimed runtime is seven hours with ANC. On average, I got around 6.5 hours of playback time.
Once you add in the charging case, though, the AirPods Pro becomes the winner. Despite the Beats Fit Pro’s bigger charging case, it can extend the runtime of the earphones by only 18 hours. The AirPods Pro’s case can boost its battery life by 24 hours.
Charging solutions: USB-C, wireless and fast charging
Charging the AirPods Pro is more convenient than charging Beats Fit Pro. The former’s charging case supports wired and wireless charging, thanks to MagSafe support and either a Lightning or a USB-C port. (Apple updated the AirPods Pro charging case to USB-C in late 2023.) You also can charge the AirPods Pro using an Apple Watch charger.
With the Beats Fit Pro, your only way to top-up the battery is through the case’s USB-C port. There’s fast charging support, and a 5-minute top-up will provide an additional hour of playback. With the AirPods Pro 2, Apple says 15 minutes of charging will get you three hours of music playback.
Price comparison: Beats Fit Pro vs. AirPods Pro 2
The more-affordable Beats Fit Pro offers as much value for money as the AirPods Pro. Photo: Beats
The AirPods Pro 2 retails for $249, while the Beats Fit Pro costs $199. The $50 lower price tag of the Beats earbuds helps justify many of their missing features compared to the AirPods. However, Apple’s flagship earphones are frequently discounted to about $199, making them an even better deal.
The Beats Fit Pro is regularly available for as low as $150 on Amazon and other retailers. Pick the earbuds you want depending on your budget. But remember not to pay full price for them, as they are frequently on sale.
Making the decision: Which offers more for your money?
The AirPods Pro 2 is undeniably the better pick between the two. With better sound quality, controls and charging options, it wins on features. But the Beats Fit Pro fits better in your ears with its compact wing tip design. That’s an important factor to consider if you plan on buying new earbuds for your gym or workout sessions. The Beats are also better if you plan to use the earbuds with a non-Apple device.
Final verdict: Beats Fit Pro vs. AirPods Pro 2
If I had to choose between the AirPods Pro and the Beats Fit Pro, I would go for the former. I love the sound quality of the AirPods, and its combination of ANC and Adaptive Transparency mode is hard to beat. Admittedly, I am not a fan of their fit, which is a concern while working out. But for traveling and for hours of daily use, the AirPods prove better overall.
US basketball star LeBron James has long been part of Beats’ history, during which time he’s also been known to leak upcoming products – and it looks like he may have done it again. The NBA legend was captured with what appears to be a brand new and unreleased Bluetooth speaker in a reel posted to Instagram (see below) by the LA Lakers. In it, you can clearly see the Pill-shaped speaker has a Beats logo – and it’s on a lanyard, which is something the most recent Beats Pill speaker didn’t have.
The Beats Pill Plus was killed off in January 2022, but it wouldn’t be up for consideration as one of the best Bluetooth speakers if it were still being sold today. It dated back to Apple‘s acquisition of Beats – it was the first Beats speaker to come with a Lightning port, which was Apple’s connector of choice at the time – and was considered by many to be overpriced at launch in 2015, never mind years later when Apple finally stopped selling it.
What we’d like to see in a new Beats Pill speaker
The Beats Pill Plus had a decent 12-hour battery life, but modern models go much better. One of our current picks, the Tribit Stormbox Flow, is good for 30 hours. But that’s not the biggest bit of the Beats speaker we’d expect to be upgraded. The Bluetooth of 2015 wasn’t a patch on the Bluetooth of today, and the best such speakers now deliver vastly improved sound quality through the use of newer, better codecs.
One of the best illustrations of how Bluetooth speakers have changed is when you compare our current favorite, the Sonos Roam, with the most recent Beats. The price is the same, because Sonos is another more premium brand. But that has up-to-date Bluetooth, Wi-Fi for even better streaming, multi-room audio support, Google Assistant and Alexa. It automatically switches between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, it has automatic room tuning and it sounds fantastic.
And that’s a model that’s about to be replaced: we’re expecting to see the Sonos Roam 2 this summer with even better Bluetooth and improved voice control. That’s likely to arrive this June – so for a new Beats to be a Sonos killer it needs to be something as awe-inspiring the legend currently carrying it. We’ll find out soon enough, because if this is indeed a bit of celebrity product placement then the actual product launch can’t be too far away.
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Ahead of tonight’s NBA playoff game, the Los Angeles Lakers posted an Instagram reel showing superstar LeBron James arriving at Ball Arena in Denver carrying what appears to be an unreleased version of the Pill speaker from Apple’s Beats brand.
The original Beats Pill was a wireless Bluetooth speaker introduced in 2012 prior to Apple’s acquisition of Beats Electronics. It received a few updates in its first several years on the market, with the final revision being a redesigned Pill+ with a Lightning connector introduced under Apple’s ownership in 2015.
The Pill+ remained on the market for a number of years in that form before being quietly discontinued in early 2022.
Based on today’s video, it appears the Pill may soon be making a comeback, as the speaker in James’ hand clearly shows a Beats logo and it includes a lanyard that was not present on previous versions of the speaker.
With the direction of Apple’s product lineup, a USB-C port for charging appears likely. And given the previous Pill+ was introduced almost nine years ago, there have been significant advances in Bluetooth and other technologies since that time, so this upcoming version is likely to be a significant improvement. Specific details on the speaker, including a release date, however, remain unknown.
Game emulator apps have come and gone since Apple announced App Store support for them on April 5, but now popular game emulator Delta from developer Riley Testut is available for download. Testut is known as the developer behind GBA4iOS, an open-source emulator that was available for a brief time more than a decade ago. GBA4iOS led to Delta, an emulator that has been available outside of…
Last September, Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro models debuted with a new customizable Action button, offering faster access to a handful of functions, as well as the ability to assign Shortcuts. Apple is poised to include the feature on all upcoming iPhone 16 models, so we asked iPhone 15 Pro users what their experience has been with the additional button so far. The Action button replaces the switch …
The lead developer of the multi-emulator app Provenance has told iMore that his team is working towards releasing the app on the App Store, but he did not provide a timeframe. Provenance is a frontend for many existing emulators, and it would allow iPhone and Apple TV users to emulate games released for a wide variety of classic game consoles, including the original PlayStation, GameCube, Wii,…
A decade ago, developer Riley Testut released the GBA4iOS emulator for iOS, and since it was against the rules at the time, Apple put a stop to downloads. Emulators have been a violation of the App Store rules for years, but that changed on April 5 when Apple suddenly reversed course and said that it was allowing retro game emulators on the App Store. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel …
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NASA’s Perseverance rover collects a sample from a Martian rock using a drill bit on the end of its robotic arm.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA is seeking fresh ideas for delivering Mars rocks collected by the Perseverance rover to Earth. With its up to US$11 billion price tag, the current plan is “too expensive” and its schedule is “unacceptable”, said NASA administrator Bill Nelson. In the agency’s original vision, a spacecraft would carry a lander and a rocket to Mars. The rocket would launch the lander plus samples into Martian orbit, where they would meet another spacecraft that would then return the samples to Earth.
With average global sea surface temperatures breaking records every day for more than a year, corals have been pushed into the fourth planet-wide mass bleaching event. Over the past year, more than half of ocean waters home to coral reefs have experienced heat stress high enough to cause bleaching, in which coral turn white and sometimes die. And that number is increasing every week, says ecologist Derek Manzello, head of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch program. Within a week or two, “this event is likely to be the most spatially extensive global bleaching event on record”.
Artificial intelligence (AI) systems can now nearly match — and sometimes exceed — human performance in tasks such as reading comprehension, image classification and mathematics. “The pace of gain has been startlingly rapid,” says social scientist Nestor Maslej, editor-in-chief of the annual AI Index. The report calls for new benchmarks to assess algorithms’ capabilities and highlights the need for a consensus on what ethical AI models would look like.
Researchers have identified three new giant kangaroo species that lived around 5 million to 40,000 years ago. One of them, Protemnodon viator, weighed up to 170 kilograms — about twice as much as the largest living kangaroos. While most Protemnodon species were thought to move on four legs, viator had long limbs and could probably hop long distances. “People often think we have a pretty weird modern ecosystem in Australia … but our animals are comparatively non-freaky compared to things we used to have in the past,” says palaeontologist Gilbert Price.
A near-complete fossil skeleton of the extinct giant kangaroo Protemnodon viator from Lake Callabonna, missing just a few bones from the hand, foot and tail (Flinders University).
Features & opinion
Many clinicians think that people who take obesity drugs such as semaglutide (sold as Wegovy and Ozempic) should take them for life. But the medications’ cost, brutal side effects and many other factors can force people off them. Those who quit usually regain a substantial amount of body weight, and often see a rebound in negative health effects such as high blood pressure, and increased blood glucose and cholesterol levels. So much work has gone into developing the drugs, says clinician-scientist Jamy Ard, “we need just as much — if not more — work to be done on what happens after people reach that goal in that weight-reduced state for the rest of their lives”.
Researchers often have to rely on rumours when deciding how to interact with a peer accused of harassment or bullying. Closed misconduct investigations ensure privacy — both for the accused and the accusers — but can also mean that harassers can continue their behaviour by simply moving institutions. Many advocate for semi-transparency, for example an information-sharing scheme for employers or institutions reporting anonymized misconduct statistics. Proactive policies are needed, such as conference codes of conduct, says astrophysicist Emma Chapman, who campaigned to ban non-disclosure agreements in disciplinary processes. “There is no easy answer, but that doesn’t mean that we default to having no answer,” she says.
Researchers have mapped the tens of thousands of cells and connections between them in one cubic millimetre of the mouse brain. The project, which took US$100 million and years of effort by more than 100 scientists, is a milestone of ‘connectomics’, which aims to chart the circuits that coordinate the organ’s many functions. Identifying the brain’s architectural principles could one day guide the development of artificial neural networks. Teams are now working on mapping larger areas, although a whole-brain reconstruction “may be a ‘Mars shot’ — it’s really much harder than going to the Moon”, says connectomics pioneer Jeff Lichtman.
A network of thousands of individual neurons from a small subset of cells in the Machine Intelligence from Cortical Networks project data set.Credit: MICrONS Explorer
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Expanding the story of space beyond well-known icons is key to inspiring the next generation of innovators and explorers, says planetary scientist Ellen Stofan, who oversees aspects of the Smithsonian Institution including the US National Air and Space Museum. (Nature | 7 min read)
Today, I’m considering ten of the more unconventional reasons for publishing a paper, including ‘symbolic immortality’ and revenge. The authors, career researcher William Donald and organizational psychologist Nicholas Duck, explain that their paper fulfils their own unconventional motivation: creating the citation “Donald and Duck (2024)”.
Please tell me about your unusual motivation for research — alongside any feedback on this newsletter — by sending an email to [email protected].
