Beats announces Powerbeats Pro 2 headphones with heart-rate monitoring

In a market saturated with headphone choices there’s one way to stand out, and that’s to aim for a niche which is exactly what Beats have done with the new Powerbeats Pro 2 – they are made for Athletes.

That’s abundantly clear thanks to their campaign for the product which features three of the biggest names in world sport. LeBron James, Lionel Messi and Shohei Ohtani. While they are the headliners, Powerbeats Pro 2 was tested with nearly 1,000 athletes.

These are more than just headphones, they feature heart-rate monitoring so you can be out on a run, or training and get health metrics that might otherwise need another device like a chest strap or a smartwatch.

Upgrades over the previous generation include improved sound profile, battery life and call performance plus they now feature Active Noise Cancelling and the case has wireless charging.

For a bold look, choose the Electric Orange, but they also come in Jet Black, Quick Sand and Hyper Purple.

Apple’s VP of Music, Sports and Beats (a decent trio of focus areas which culminates in this product) Oliver Schusser says “Powerbeats Pro 2 is the most impressive product in Beats ’history — developed to withstand intense training sessions and equipped with our most innovative technology and powerful sound,”

“Now with Heart Rate Monitoring for workouts, Active Noise Cancellation, and Transparency mode, Powerbeats Pro 2 sets a new standard in audio for fitness.”

A core feature of the Powerbeats range is the over-ear hook which gives comfort and a snug fit for those most active moments. That earhook has been re-inforced with a nickel titanium alloy to make it super flexible, but also offer a better grip and comfort as a result, and makes them 20% lighter than the previous generation.

In the box are five different tip sizes ranging from extra-small to extra-large too.

Beats boasts a 45 hour battery life with the case, including 10 hours on the ear per charge with a five minute charge offering 90 minutes of playback and the charging case is not just the first to offer Wireless charging in the Beats range, but it’s 33% smaller too.

You can find them in stores and online from tomorrow, and they will be priced at $399.95.

We’ve got a pair of Electric Orange on our desk right now, we’ll test them out soon!