Beats may be Apple’s plaything now, but even though Apple’s purchase of the company was finalized in August, Beats is still churning out headphones that showcase its unmistakable design style, and its signature big-bass sound as well. In what is perhaps the last model of the OG Beats era, and the first official release under the Apple umbrella, Beats has cut the strings from its popular Solo2 to unveil the new Beats Solo2 Wireless on-ear headphones.
For a lofty price of $300, you can get your hands on the Bluetooth-boosted version of what Beats claims are the most popular headphones in the world. The wireless version of Beats’ redesigned Solo2 promises the same exact “dynamic” sound performance as its predecessor, with an added 30 feet of freedom. The new headphones also bear the same minimalist plastic shell as their namesake, foregoing any visible screws, and leaving Dre’s name off the sides.
Controlling the new cans is as easy as tapping on the right earcup, allowing users to skip, play/pause, and answer phone calls by clicking on the “b,” as well as adjusting volume on the fly with the included volume control keys. The rechargeable battery boasts 12 hours of playback time, and the headphones can also be hardwired when the juice runs out via an included Remote Talk cable, complete with an iOS-compatible (duh) in-line control microphone.
Other than their wireless capabilities, there are no other frills like active noise cancelling on board, which makes the price tag a bit tough to swallow. However, Beats obviously knows what its doing, claiming its wireless headphone business has grown by a whopping 172 percent in the last year. The Beats sound isn’t really our bag, but if you already know and love what Beats has to offer, these will likely be your wireless headphones of choice.
In addition, Beats has announced the new “Royal Edition” of the wired Solo2, which offers a satiny new finish, and new colors including Stone Grey, Hunter Green, Imperial Violet, Blush Rose, and Sapphire Blue. The Royal Edition will keep the same $200 price tag as the original wired Solo2.
The Solo2 Wireless headphones come in black, white, blue, and red. The first three colors can be nabbed from Apple’s website sometime this month, while the red version will be sold exclusively through Verizon Wireless. If you want to be notified of availability, you can also still go to Beats’ official website.
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