Beats Studio Buds launch could be imminent — at a very affordable price

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Beats Studio Buds tipped for a reasonable $149 launch price

(Image credit: 9to5Mac)

It looks like the Beats Studio Buds could be edging closer to release. Earlier this week the true wireless earphones appeared in Taiwanese regulatory documents, and now leaker Jon Prosser has alleged pricing and launch information.

Prosser, who has a mixed track record with rumors, claims on FrontPageTech that the Beats Studio Buds will be “announced imminently”, priced at $149.99 and available in red, black or white colors. The Beats Studio Buds will reportedly launch July 21 and be announced via press release. 

The leaker adds that Apple-owned Beats have a design that’s “very similar” to the upcoming AirPods Pro 2, although that similarity will presumably only be skin deep if the $149 price point is accurate. The original AirPods Pro, after all, cost $249.

Rather, it looks like the Beats Studio Buds have the likes of Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus in their sights. Samsung’s true wireless earphones sell at the same $149 price point, charge wirelessly and offer a massive 11 hours of battery life (with an additional 11 in the case). There’s no active noise cancellation, but it's not clear whether the Beats Studio Buds will offer this feature either.

In fact, we don’t know a great deal about the Beats Studio Buds’ specs, although regulatory documents point to replaceable tips and USB-C charging. The latter is interesting, given Beats’ last true wireless earphones, the PowerBeats Pro, used Apple’s proprietary Lightning cable for charging. This might be a sign that while Apple sees AirPods as the product for those with iPhones, it may view Beats as a way of reaching those prefer the best Android phones.

Prosser’s sources say that Beats Studio Buds will likely emerge via press release when they launch, rather than as part of a larger event, and that certainly makes the chances of an imminent reveal all the more likely. 

The earbuds have already been seen in celebrity ears, but things seem to be gathering pace. Earlier this month, LeBron James was spotted modeling them in one of his Instagram photoshoots, and now there have been additional sightings in US soccer star Alex Morgan’s Instagram feed and in TikTok star dixiedamelio’s latest video.

Alan Martin
Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.