The heydays of Beats may be long over, but it remains a notable brand in the audio space thanks to an impressive portfolio that includes a range of headphones and earbuds across various price points. The Apple-owned company is expected to launch the successor to its original Studio Buds later this year, and a massive leak has now seemingly revealed many of its features, specifications, and a critical design aspect that could make it stand out from most of its competitors.
According to a premature Amazon listing (via Wayback Machine and The Verge) that has now been removed, the upcoming Beats Studio Buds+ will come with a transparent design that was first seen on the Nothing Ear (2) released earlier this year. They will also be offered in Ivory and Black, although both of them look much more staid next to the transparent option. The transparency notwithstanding, the design looks fairly similar to that of the original Studio Buds, although the exact similarities and differences can only be confirmed once we see it in the flesh.
In terms of features, the listing reveals that the Studio Buds+ will come with 3x larger microphones, 1.6x better active noise cancelation, 2x better transparency, and improved air vents compared to its predecessor. They are also said to offer 36 hours of playback time with the included USB-C charging case, which is 50 percent higher than the 24 hours offered by the original Studio Buds. Another feature mentioned on the listing page is the IPX4 water resistance rating, which is standard for most modern earbuds in the premium segment.
The Studio Buds+ will be compatible with both iPhones and Android devices and will be available with XS, S, M, and L ear tip size options. Other notable features include one-touch pairing and automatic switching between devices, as well as support for Apple’s Siri voice assistant and Find My Network. With a listed price of $169.95, the Studio Buds+ could be $20 more expensive than the original Studio Buds that were launched a couple of years ago for $150. The listing also revealed that the device will release on May 18, meaning we won’t have to wait too long to get it in our hands.