It looks like the successor to 2016’s Powerbeats3 is almost ready.
It’s been years since Apple and Beats introduced the Powerbeats3, a $200 set of wireless headphones with ear hooks and a cable connecting the two earpieces together. Since then, Beats released the excellent, totally wireless Powerbeats Pro, but it looks like the company is readying a successor to the older model. A recent FCC filing for Apple shows off a paid of headphones that bears a striking resemblance to the Powerbeats 3, complete with a similar ear hook design and connecting cable.
Given that 9to5Mac discovered references to a “Powerbeats4” model in iOS 13 code back in December, it sounds like these new headphones will indeed be the successor to the Powerbeats3, which came out more than three years ago now. As for what might be new here, the Powerbeats 4 will probably include Apple’s latest H1 chip and “Hey Siri” support, just like the Powerbeats Pro and the two current models of AirPods.
If history is any indication, these headphones will be priced at $200, $50 less than the Powerbeats Pro. But the Pro can often be found on sale for less than its $250 price point, so unless you prefer having a cable connecting your headphones, the Powerbeats Pro still might be the best option for most people. Of course, we’ll have to wait until we hear them and find out more details, like battery life, before rendering final judgement. Given the FCC posting, we shouldn’t have to wait too long to get the full details. We’ve reached out to apple to see if the company has any comment and will update this post if we hear anything.
