Official: Beats Studio Buds, $149.99, Transparency mode, ANC included

Beats Studio Buds
Beats Studio Buds (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

  • The Beats Studio Buds are official, after weeks of leaks.
  • Priced at $149.99, they feature active noise canceling tech, Transparency mode, and more.

After weeks of rumors, Apple today announced the Beats Studio Buds and you can order them now.

Just as the rumors suggested, the Beats Studio Buds come in red, black, and white and are priced at $149.99. You're going to get a lot for your money there, with support for active noise canceling (ANC) and Transparency mode included.

With two distinct listening modes, you are in total control of your sound. Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) continuously blocks unwanted outside noise using a finely-tuned filter that dynamically adapts to your surroundings. When you need to hear the world around you, switch to Transparency mode at the press of a button. The external-facing microphones mix the sounds of your surroundings back in with your music for a natural, 'open' listening experience.

Apple also says that the Beats earbuds were "born to deliver music" and that they were "engineered to deliver powerful, balanced sound in a compact design, through an entirely customized acoustic platform." That all sounds pretty impressive and we'll have to hear them for ourselves to be sure. Connectivity comes in the form of Class 1 Bluetooth and the Beats Studio Buds have an IPX4 rating for sweat and water resistance.

The full rundown of highlights include:

  • Custom acoustic platform delivers powerful, balanced sound
  • Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) blocks external noise for immersive listening
  • Easily switch to Transparency mode to hear the world around you
  • Simple one-touch pairing for both Apple⁶ and Android⁷ devices
  • High-quality call performance and voice assistant interaction via dual beam-forming mics
  • IPX4-rated sweat and water resistant wireless earbuds⁴
  • Three soft eartip sizes for a stable and comfortable fit while ensuring an optimal acoustic seal
  • Up to 8 hours of listening time¹ (up to 24 hours combined with pocket-sized charging case)²
  • Activate Siri hands-free just by saying "Hey Siri"⁸
  • Industry-leading Class 1 Bluetooth® for extended range and fewer dropouts
  • USB-C universal charging

Where this all leaves AirPods Pro isn't clear. With a similar list of features and a higher price, the Beats might be a better option for many. And they come in red!

However, it's worth noting that the Beats Studio Buds do not support instant device switching or iCloud sync in terms of pairing.

You can place an order for your new earbuds now and receive them Friday, June 25.

Still not feeling the Beats Studio Buds? The best AirPods Pro deals might have you covered.

Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.