Beats Studio Buds+ in Development, May Feature Automatic Switching, Hey Siri Support: Report

Beats Studio Buds+ could reportedly be launched as pair of truly wireless (TWS) earphones to succeed or replace the Beats Studio Buds. The subsidiary of iPhone manufacturer Apple launched its Beats Studio Buds in 2021 and the latest code from the upcoming iOS 16.4 update contains hints that the company is working on a new pair of Beats earbuds that could be launched in the coming months, as per a report. These earbuds will reportedly be equipped with support for Hey Siri detection, automatic switching between devices, and audio sharing.

According to a 9to5Mac report, the company's purported Beats Studio Buds+ may arrive as a successor or replacement to the Beats Studio Buds from 2021. These TWS earbuds were first claimed to feature Apple's W1/H1 chips, but the publication has now updated its report to state that the upcoming audio device will feature an in-house custom Beats chip.

Code found in iOS 16.4 RC (release client) suggests that the upcoming Beats Studio Buds+ TWS earbuds will support features like audio sharing, automatic device switching, and “Hey Siri,” much like the AirPods, and other Beats wireless earbuds that have been seen equipped with Apple chips in the past. The original Studio Buds TWS earphones which were launched in 2021, did not feature features like "Hey, Siri" due to the lack of an Apple chip.

However, despite lacking an Apple chip, the upcoming Beats Studio Buds+ TWS earbuds could feature prominent AirPods earphone features like audio sharing, automatic device switching, 'Hey Siri', and automatic play and pause based on in-ear detection, according to the report.

A Beats audio device codenamed 8214 will feature media controls for play/pause and also provide users the option to long press to switch between noise cancelling modes that are set to include active noise cancellation and transparency mode. The publication also managed to gain access to leaked images of the upcoming earbuds that depict them in a brand-new black colourway with gold detailing.

Although there hasn't been an official word on when the Beats Studio Buds+ could be launched, its addition to the iOS 16.4 RC could be an indication that an official launch announcement is imminent.