Apple has launched the next generation of its Beats Solo 4 that features 50 hours of battery life for half the price of the tech giant’s AirPods Max.
The new over-ear headphones are priced at $200, compared to Apple’s official device which has a eye-watering price of $550.
Solo 4 comes in three colors, matte black, blue and pink, and is compatible with iOS and Android phones.
The new Solo 4 Beats will be available to order starting Tuesday, with shipping within the US scheduled for Thursday, May 2.
The Beats Solo 4 come in matte black, blue and pink and cost $200, down from the previous model which cost $300 when it launched in 2016.
The Solo 4 headphones offer a renewed level of comfort and are lightweight, weighing less than half a pound. Pictured: Angel Reese, WNBA professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky.
The Solo 4 offers custom spatial audio, head tracking, and a Find My Device feature
Beats, bought by Apple in 2014, also announced its cheapest headphones yet coming to market in June: called Solo Buds.
“Our newly expanded Solo line delivers remarkable value, delivering exceptional sound quality, battery life and convenience in our most portable designs,” said Oliver Schusser, vice president of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Sports and Beats at Apple.
“Beats Solo 4 takes our best-selling headphones to the next level with great performance improvements, and the new Beats Solo Buds deliver impressive power in our smallest product yet.”
The Solo 4 model has an ultra-lightweight design, weighing less than half a pound, and offers custom spatial audio, dynamic head tracking, and a Find My Device feature.
The Solo 4 headphones (pictured) don’t require a wall charger and can be charged directly from your phone, tablet, or laptop.
The Solo 4 has better acoustics than previous generation models and offers greater clarity for listening to music, movies and games.
Consumers will no longer have to worry about running out of battery because the “quick fuel” feature provides five hours of battery life with a 10-minute quick charge.
The headphones also don’t require a wall charger and can be charged directly from your phone, tablet, or laptop, a feature that wasn’t available on the Solo 3 generation and also cost $100 more.
Apple said that “Beats Solo 4 has been redesigned to deliver incredible, high-fidelity acoustics” using 40-millimeter drivers that minimize the amount of distortion and offer better clarity and range for listening to music, movies and games.
The Solo 4 offers an interactive surround sound experience for any activity. Pictured: Sha’Carri Richardson, an American track and field sprinter who broke the 100 meter sprint record at Louisiana State University.
‘Quick Fuel’ feature provides five hours of battery life with a 10-minute quick charge
The Beats Solo Buds will launch in June priced at $80 and are equipped with a custom-designed microphone.
The transducers, also called drivers, convert sound waves into electrical signals that are transmitted to the ear, and the upgrade will offer “a truly interactive surround sound experience,” Apple said.
Users will still have to wait another month to purchase the Beats Solo Buds, which will cost $80 and will be available in matte black, gray, purple and red.
The Solo Buds will offer 18 hours of battery life and a five-minute quick fuel charge will provide one hour of battery life.
They are equipped with a custom-designed microphone that uses a noise learning algorithm to provide better call quality than previous Apple headphones and will have an extended range from your phone so there are fewer interruptions.
The company stated that the packaging for the headphones will also be more environmentally friendly, stating that it is made up of 100 percent recycled fiber-based material that comes from sustainably managed forests.
Apple has previously said it aims to be carbon neutral for its global operations, including its manufacturing supply chain and the lifecycle of all its products by 2030.
