Today may have been all about Google Pixel, but Apple decided to crash the party with its first pair of noise-cancelling on-ear Beats headphones, the Beats Solo Pros. Succeeding the Solo 3, the Beats Solo Pros are a slick new take on the now iconic cans.
While the Solo Pros shares their aesthetic with their predecessors, the headphones have been redesigned from scratch. There's a new aluminium headband, the cups have a new leather finish and more padding, the colourways are all matte, and the fit is said to be more relaxed. In addition, the power button is gone, with the Solo Pros automatically powering on when unfolded.
In terms of noise-cancelling, the Solo Pros use Pure Adaptative Noise Cancellation, proprietary tech we first saw in the Beats Studio 3 Wireless. Pure ANC uses algorithms to continuously monitor noise and then adjust to the environment. Apple says tech has been updated for the on-ear form factor, which typically lets in more ambient noise. We're super interested to see how it works. The Solo Pros also have a Transparency mode that lets you filter environmental noise into the headphones.
While noise-cancelling is clearly a headline feature, the Solo Pros are also said to sound better than the last generation model.
The Beats Solo Pros are powered by the same H1 chip you'll find in the second generation AirPods and Powerbeats Pros. This chip allows the Beats to seamlessly pair and sync across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices, and allows hands-free access to Siri. While these features are clearly designed for those deep in the Apple ecosystem, the Solo Pros will still work with Android smartphones (and other non-Apple devices) - you'll just miss out on a few features. You will also have to keep a Lightning cable around to charge the pair.
It's also worth noting that the Solo Pros don't have a 3.5mm port. If you want to use them as a wired pair, you'll need to buy a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter.
In terms of battery life, Apple says you'll get up to 22 hours with noise-cancelling on, or up to 40 hours with noise-cancelling off. A 10 minute charge will get you up to three hours of playback.
The Beats Solo Pros will set you back $429.95 locally. You'll be able to grab them from October 30 in a choice of Black, Ivory, Grey, Dark Blue, Light Blue, or Red. Pre-orders are available from today.
Alex Choros
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