A few new products from Beats by Dre have been made available to customers today, beginning with the launch of the new Beats Pill+ Speaker for $229.95. The Bluetooth speaker was announced earlier in the month with an expected launch date in November, but has made its way to online availability a few days early. The Pill+ Speaker introduces a new design into the line-up of Beats portable speakers and includes an extended 12-hour battery life along with a new iOS companion app.

beats speaker and headphones
Also introduced today by Beats are new "Luxe Edition" colors for the Solo2 On-Ear Headphones, including Blue, Silver, Black, and Red. The $199.95 headphones offer the same features as the other editions of the Solo2, but with "a refined glossy finish and polished accents." The Solo2 Headphones in the new "Luxe Edition" colors and the Beats Pill+ Speaker -- available in white and black -- can both be purchased right now from Apple's online store.

Top Rated Comments

Tucom Avatar
130 months ago
How about making them sound good instead of releasing new colors all the time?
They do sound good. Have you heard the latest stuff from Beats? Especially the new Solo 2? Comments like these are getting old and are just regurgitated nonsense that people think they're clever in saying. Times have changed, Beats actually makes solid audio gear now.

Tyll from InnerFidelity has a very favorable review on the new Solo 2s, for anyone curious for more info about how good they really are.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
130 months ago
How about making them sound good instead of releasing new colors all the time?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Keane16 Avatar
130 months ago
How about making them sound good instead of releasing new colors all the time?
The new ones sounds quite nice, and way better than the older Beats that are way too bass heavy for me.

Lot's of reviews of the Solo 2, including data on the sound. One of the prominent ones by InnerFidelity:

With almost a quarter million views, a lot of people have experienced my opinion regarding the original Beats Solo in this video ('//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipZY0qGrA9Y&list=UUs5A6Gg74iPHyTFJh69w-RA'). I've been quoted in the New York Times ('http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/business/beats-headphones-expand-dr-dres-business-world.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&'), Huffington Post ('http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/09/beats-headphones-reviews_n_5294628.html'), and numerous places elsewhere ('http://www.ketknbc.com/news/what-beats-by-apple-would-mean-for-music-and-you') expressing my distaste for their products. I now find myself with the unenviable task of reversing my opinion, at least in part, with the introduction of their new Beats by Dre Solo2—a very fine headphone indeed.
Video:


Review article: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/time-rethink-beats-solo2-excellent#BrWrjvHUko7qIlJ3.97

And measurements of sound output: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/time-rethink-beats-solo2-excellent-measurements-page-2#qJ6zoD1hf6hfQTzK.97

I'd like to know what you don't like about them? Anything specific? Did you try them?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OS X Dude Avatar
130 months ago
My sister just got a pair of the Solo2 Wireless for her birthday, and I was genuinely impressed by the sound. They are much improved from Beats of old.

That said, they should sound a little better for the money they cost. They can't hold a candle to my Sennheiser Momentum over-ears in the clarity stakes, but they're still a very good pair of headphones if you listen to rap/electro. I felt they make guitars and drums sound muddy across too many tracks for me to buy a set if my Senn's died.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Fuchal Avatar
130 months ago
I have Beats Solo 2 Wireless, Master Dynamic MH40, Audio Technica M50, and Grado SR-125e sitting around and I actually reach for the Solo 2s more than any of the others. The combination of on par sound, wireless, small, and lightweight definitely make them more convenient than the super heavy MH40s, unwieldy M50s, or sound-blasting Grados. The battery life is insane too, sometimes I use them at work all week before charging and I've never run down the battery completely. It's also slick how the battery life shows up in notification center with my phone and watch.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
130 months ago
I know the article you're referring to and that only applies to the old pre-Apple Solos as far as I know. The new 2s are pretty great in both build quality at choice of materials used. I've felt them in hand at my local Apple Store and it certainly felt like a quality product, especially in terms of the plastic used. Not even accounting for the really nice, polished metal bits.

These new 2s are pretty excellent and completely destroys everything bad about the previous Monster influenced generation of Beats. I remember memes on headfi.org making jokes about "why can't we just give beats good sound quality" etc. and it finally happened. Good stuff.
Maybe I'll have to check them out again. But I still don't like the idea of being a giant walking billboard for a company. The white earbuds were more subtle back in the day. My phone has a little Apple logo that is usually covered up by a case or in my pocket. I typically don't buy logo'd clothing unless it's sports.

If I mostly listened to pop(ular)/radio type or other bass friendly music I'd definitely consider them.

But my taste is wide ranging so I too prefer the more nuanced brands.
Yeah I listen to a really wide range as well—and have expanded quite a bit over the last few years with all of the music discovery stuff built into streaming services. I'm starting to develop an ear for comparing audio equipment with different types of music, but I've got much to learn as I'm a person who is usually tuned to critiquing visual imagery, calibrating displays, editing photos, etc.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

Sunday September 28, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Pro models will enter mass production soon, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he continues to believe the new MacBook Pro models will be released at some point between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meaning they should be available to order by March at the latest. Apple often...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.0.1 With Fixes for Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Camera Issues on iPhone 17 Models

Monday September 29, 2025 10:12 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 26.0.1 and iPadOS 26.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out earlier this week. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes for the update, iOS 26.0.1 addresses a bug that could cause aberrations in...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
iphone 17 ceramic shield

Regular iPhone 17's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Friday September 26, 2025 9:01 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the standard iPhone 17 model's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 27W to 28W with these Apple chargers:29W USB-C Power Adapter 30W USB-C Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max...
LG UltraFine 6K Display TB5

LG UltraFine 6K (32U990A) TB5 Display: Pre-Orders Open September 30

Monday September 29, 2025 6:21 am PDT by
Pre-orders for LG's new UltraFine evo 6K display (model 32U990A) with Thunderbolt 5 support will begin on September 30, according to a major U.S. retailer listing. LG first revealed the 32-inch display at CES 2025 in January, teasing its status as the first monitor to support Thunderbolt 5. At the time, LG only provided high-level specs, but left pricing, availability, and full technical...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent 1

Samsung Confirms Plan to Make Foldable Displays for Major American Company

Monday September 29, 2025 6:54 am PDT by
Samsung Display president Lee Cheong has confirmed plans to make foldable smartphone displays for a major American company, which is widely believed to be Apple. As reported in Chosun Biz, Cheong last week told journalists in Seoul that the company is accelerating preparations for mass production of OLED displays designed for foldable smartphones to be supplied to a "North American client."...
maxresdefault

Review: A Week With the iPhone 17 Pro

Friday September 26, 2025 12:51 pm PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 models have been out for a week now, so we thought we'd do a longer-term review of the flagship iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max now that we've been able to spend more time with them. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has a Silver iPhone 17 Pro and a Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro Max, and despite a lot of concern over...