Apple debuts Beats Studio Buds, its AirPods' alternative for Android users
Apple Inc.
announced the $149.99 Studio Buds wireless earphones, the latest addition to
its Beats headphones line and a strong signal for how the company divides its
two competing personal-audio brands.
The Studio Buds are more affordable and compatible than Apple’s
AirPods line: they charge via the more universal USB-C connector rather than
Apple’s proprietary Lightning and they have a dedicated Android app, making
them friendlier to users outside the company’s device ecosystem. Where the
AirPods line appears tailored to enhance and complement Apple’s iPhones, iPads
and Macs, Beats products are pitched at the wider market with a more
device-agnostic approach.
Apple has sought to make the AirPods a
more premium product, adding the pricey AirPods Max over-ear headphones at the
top of its range and sound enhancements like Spatial Audio to differentiate its
products. Shares jumped as much as 2% Monday in New York to $129.88, the
highest intraday value since May 7.
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The Beats Studio Buds include the Spatial Audio capability with Apple gear,
but they also allow Android users to see exactly how much battery charge each
earbud and the accompanying carry case have remaining, plus their controls can
be customized to even include a Google Assistant trigger.
The minimalist design of the Studio Buds marks a change for Apple,
as its wireless earbuds have so far either had a stem protruding from the
bottom, as on the AirPods, or over-the-ear hooks to hold them in place during
exercise, as with the Powerbeats. In testing by Bloomberg News, the contoured
shape and light weight of the buds made them comfortable to wear for extended
periods of time. They offer a noise canceling option, which isn’t hugely
effective against loud traffic noise on the street but helps improve the user
experience. Battery life is rated at 8 hours on a single charge with noise
canceling turned off.
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