Apple at some point in the past week or so discontinued the Powerbeats Pro, around five and a half years after the wireless earbuds launched.
Powerbeats Pro are a sportier, fitness-focused alternative to AirPods Pro with built-in, adjustable ear hooks for a secure fit. Key features of the original Powerbeats Pro include the H1 chip that debuted in the AirPods 2, IPX4-rated sweat and water resistance, up to nine hours of battery life, and silicone ear tips with four size options.
In a short teaser video last month, Apple revealed that it will be launching new Powerbeats Pro 2 next year. The earbuds look similar to the original Powerbeats Pro, but they have a more vertical, slimmer design. MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris later discovered iOS 18 code revealing that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will feature heart rate monitoring during workouts, and gain support for Active Noise Cancellation, Spatial Audio, and Adaptive Audio.
Powerbeats Pro 2 images in iOS 18 code
The leaked iOS 18 code also revealed new orange, purple, black, and beige color options for the Powerbeats Pro 2 and their charging case.
Based on other recent Beats headphones, other potential upgrades for the Powerbeats Pro 2 include improved sound quality, longer battery life, a USB-C charging case, and improved cross-platform compatibility with Android features like Find My Device.
Apple did not reveal a specific release date in 2025 for the Powerbeats Pro 2.
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:45 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Wednesday February 4, 2026 12:29 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple on Tuesday previewed 12 new shows and films that will be premiering on the Apple TV streaming service throughout 2026.
The new series:
Imperfect Women — March 18, 2026
Margo's Got Money Troubles — April 15, 2026
Widow's Bay — April 29, 2026
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed — May 20, 2026
Cape Fear — June 5, 2026
Lucky — July 15, 2026
The new films:
Eternity — ...
Wednesday February 4, 2026 7:44 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today began selling certified refurbished iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max models on its online store in the U.S., with prices discounted by 12% to 22% compared to Apple's current or former pricing for the devices.
Here were Apple's starting prices when the devices launched in September 2024:
iPhone 16: $799
iPhone 16 Plus: $899
iPhone 16 Pro:...
Can't come soon enough. Here's for hoping at the March/Spring event and not June or October. As have had since day one, and even though wanted USB-C and hated that so often they didn't charge, but for those of us who use them and not the many other modern Apple/Beats options, they are the only ones that don't fall off. So thankful that user base is large enough they didn't drop the line entirely even if it's small enough that they felt comfortable letting it sit for 5 years even with known hardware issues. Hoping a wireless charging case and transparency mode and Siri without Hey Siri, but time will tell.
Too bad Apple is skipping Christmas 2024. I've had my Powerbeats Pro since 2019 and they've been great except for the extra effort it takes to make sure they are seated in the case for charging and the huge (relatively speaking) case size. It's a poor design that made it through the product development cycle. Hope the new ones are available early 2025.
That's the first thing I thought of. Very bad timing on Apple's part. While I'm sure it's won't be noticeable to Apple's bottom line, I'd sure as heck he happy to have that missing profit in my bank account. ?
Bought them when they were new in 2019 or so. Always had problem with charging because the closing lid always made the Powerbeats slide away from the charging contacts. And when using I was always dead. Bad product.
In the same boat. I've learned to be very careful putting them into the charger, then double checking my phone to make sure one of them still isn't connected.
I love these to death though and will jump on the next generation right away. AirPods do not stay in my ears at all when running, but these fit great with the ear hooks. The case is also my last device that requires a Lightning charger, so I can't wait for an upgrade.
Bought them when they were new in 2019 or so. Always had problem with charging because the closing lid always made the Powerbeats slide away from the charging contacts. And when using I was always dead. Bad product.
Same story here. It's really difficult to reliably make contact with the charging contacts, and I frequently open the case and find one of them to be low on battery or completely dead. I otherwise love this product and hope that the next version has improved charging.
Can’t wait for the Powerbeats Pro 2. I resurrected my original pair of Powerbeats Pro earlier this week and have been loving them. A modern update with ANC and that keeps the same battery life will be a no-brainer day 1 purchase for me. Wish the AirPods Pro lasted as long as these.