The fourth generation Powerbeats are
official and will be available in a couple of days for US$ 150. Compared to the
3rd gen headset, the new model features longer battery life and improved
Bluetooth hardware.
These deliver the same audio quality as
the US$ 250 Powerbeats Pro and even have the same IPX4 sweat resistance. The major
difference is that the Pro are true wireless earbuds and the non-Pro has a
cable connecting the two buds.
Another upgrade is the 15 hour battery
life, up from 12 hours on the 3rd gen model (the Pros last 9 hours). The Fast
Fuel feature pumps 1.5 hours worth of charge in just 5 minutes. Despite the
"Beats by Dre" branding, this is an Apple product through and
through. It features the Apple H1 chip for quick Bluetooth pairing and
"Hey, Siri" functionality. Also, the headphones charge through a
Lightning port (a USB-A to Lightning cable is included in the box).
You can even pair two Powerbeats 4
headphones to the same iPhone (or mix Powerbeats and AirPods) using the Audio
Sharing feature. This is good if you want to listen to a podcast with someone,
for example. The Powerbeats 4 will be available in White, Black and Red
starting on March 18. You'll be able to score a pair from Apple, Best Buy and
other retailers that carry Beats products.
