Apple accidentally leaked new Beats true wireless earbuds

Apple AirPods Pro 2
(Image credit: Regan Coule/Laptop Magazine)

A recent leak on Apple's iOS 14.6 and tvOS 14.6 beta has revealed images of newly-designed true wireless earbuds, and they are not the heavily-rumored stemless AirPods Pro 2.

According to images and animation files found on Apple's operating system, Apple is developing new Beats Studio earbuds, and they seem to follow design cues from Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro and Google Pixel Buds 2

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Spotted by MacRumors, the "Beats Studio Buds" lose the ear wrap found on the Beats Powerbeats Pro (one of our best wireless earbuds for working out) making them completely stemless — something many rumors indicate will happen to the next generation AirPods Pro.

The new Beats earbuds and their matching charging cases will also come in different color options, including black, white, and red. The charging case looks similar to the AirPods Pro's, albeit with more of an oval-shaped design.

As found by 9to5Mac, the earbuds will feature an Apple chip, meaning it will boast instant pairing with Apple devices such as an iPhone or iPad, along with Apple's "Hey, Siri" hands-free support. While these can be found on the Powerbeats Pro, files also indicate the wireless earbuds will have noise cancellation.

The new earbuds are expected to be announced sometime this June, possibly to coincide with the release of Apple Music's new hi-fi tier. However, don't expect them to be able to support lossless audio, as none of Apple's line of AirPods are able to dish out the high-quality feature.

While Apple has yet to officially announce the leaked Beats earbuds, there's a good chance we'll be seeing them soon. Originally, the AirPods 3 were expected to be the tech giant's next audio product. If this leak is anything to go by, those rumors have now been shot down. 

Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.