Apple sells true wireless earbuds under its AirPods line as well as the Beats brand. The options available for fans of the latter are the Beats Studio Buds and the more recently announced Beats Fit Pro. Both pairs of earbuds are designed to work with Android devices, but the question is, “Which should an Android user buy?”
Android compatibility is an afterthought when it comes to Apple products which should not be a surprise as Apple designs its products to work with one another. In some cases, a product won't even work with non-Apple devices such as the Apple Watch. However, Apple has begun to open some of its products to Android users, such as the Beats Studio Buds and the Beats Fit Pro.
The Beats Fit Pro costs $199.99. It has an Apple H1 chip for Audio Sharing and Automatic Switching, Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, IPX4 rating, 6-hour battery life with ANC on (24 hours with the case), USB-C charging, and Fast Fuel. The Beats Studio Buds costs $149.99 ($129.99 as at the time of writing). For that price, users get Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode and IPX4 sweat and water resistance. As well as on-device controls, up to 8 hours of battery life (24 hours with the case), USB-C charging, Fast Fuel fast charging feature, Fast Pair for easy pairing, and Find My (Apple and Android). Both pairs of earbuds work with the Beats Android app.
These Beats Are Different
Apart from the noticeable price difference, the Beats Studio Buds and Beats Fit Pro differ in other ways. The Studio Buds not only have a different design, but they also come in a flip-open case and are available in three colors, while the Fit Pro earbuds have a clamshell case and are available in four colors. The Studio Buds don't have an Apple chip which means Apple-exclusive features such as Audio Sharing and Automatic Switching are missing. Thankfully, Android users can enjoy the benefits of Google Fast Pair Service, a.k.a. Fast Pair on the Studio Buds, such as linking the earbuds to your account and thus eliminating the need for pairing with your other devices tied to your Google account. It also allows users to easily find lost earbuds either by ringing each earbud or both and adds the ability to check their last known location using the Find My Device app. The battery level for the earbuds is also visible under the phone's settings.
Android users who pick up the Beats Fit Pro will miss out on the benefits of Google Fast Pair as it lacks the feature. In addition, the only way to check the battery levels is inside the Beats app. However, its advantages over the Studio app include having the more advanced adaptive ANC that tunes noise cancellation based on the environment. The Beats app also has a Fit Test feature that helps users get the best sound and fit. The Beats Fit Pro is also designed to offer a more comfortable and secure fit than the Studio Buds with its wingtips and in-ear detection.
The Beats Studio Buds offer more Android features than the Beats Fit Pro and thus the better of the two for Android users. It is also significantly cheaper. However, the Beats Fit Pro has better noise cancellation, promises better comfort and a design geared towards athletes, and in-ear detection for automatic pause and play. These are features that users can get from other brands, some of which cost less.