As usual with all Beats audio launches, there have been plenty of (intentional) leaks and (intentional) rumors hitting the internet as the headphones get closer to their release date.
But all I’ve noticed from the leaks is that they look like any other headphone out there – nothing special to see here.
But then they officially announced the headphones and explained what they do and how they work and I thought to myself “huh, this is an interesting headphone”.
And I had the strangest feeling I’d ever seen before, and I couldn’t shake it. The Beats 360 looks like a novelty, but Beats/Apple went back into the archives and dug up a design that seemed doomed as an online rumor.
Are these AirPods Max prototypes?
Back in 2020, when we were all cooped up in our houses, Apple was preparing its first earphones – and all kinds of rumors were flying around in the days when you couldn’t read any news about an Apple device with Jon Prosser’s name on it.
Apple is rumored to be launching two pair of upper ears. The one we eventually saw launch was originally called AirPods Studio. Then a couple that were deemed more unusual and radical.
I remember seeing patents or designs for it that said the earcups were interchangeable and the headband was interchangeable. A 2020 Bloomberg report noted a version intended to be a fitness-focused model with “lighter, breathable materials with small perforations, lighter, breathable materials with small perforations.” Does this sound familiar?
Eventually, the fitness-oriented version was abandoned and the AirPods Max as we know them appeared. I always thought that if Apple developed a sequel to the AirPods Max, they would resurrect this prototype version, but the AirPods Max 2 arrived and they are pretty much the same as before. He felt this was a missed opportunity.
Headphones go through a lot of wear and tear: they absorb what’s in your ears, they’re folded and twisted, the connections are strained, the batteries slowly drain, and the ear cushions fall apart.
The headphones are designed to last, but they aren’t necessarily built to last sustainablethat’s why I find the Beats 360 interesting from a design point of view. I’m not sure why Apple couldn’t get their modular version to work – it doesn’t seem very different with the recently released Beats 360 chimney to be done – but the concept of modular headphones has caught on and I sometimes wonder why more brands not do it
Can Beats break out of its mold?
Another reason why Beats 360 has called me back to the AirPods Max prototypes is that they are very different from Beats’ previous headphones. Sure, they have the Beats branding on them, but Beats headphones until Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine owned the brand – and I wouldn’t say it’s a good one.
Those headphones felt too plasticky, a bit on the cheap and mass market side. They were colorful and stood out when people wore them on the street, but I never got the impression that they would last long under wear. Even the Studio Pro, Beats’ legacy headphones, felt like they were honoring the squeaky and plasticky build quality. I can’t say the same about the Beats 360.
I’d use these headphones for commuting (they’re comfortable to wear), but I’m also thinking about taking them to the gym (and swapping out the ear pads in the process). Full-size earmuffs are rarely IP-rated, but they are modular and It comes with IPX4 to protect against sweat and water splashes.
This gives you the confidence to use them in many different situations and builds on Beats’ fitness heritage, which I think it should do more with than the AirPods Max. I’ve seen a lot of people in their gyms with AirPods Max on their heads, even though they don’t have an official IP rating.
After a few days of use, the noise cancellation isn’t great, but the call quality is excellent, the battery life is strong, and they sound good – if a little off-color, as all Beats headphones have since the revamp. They feel solid, but there is something that makes them feel like they are being held back.
Tellingly, when I mention I’m reviewing the Beats 360, the response is, “Does Beats still make headphones?” There is a bit of confusion that Beats is still around, which may be due to the ubiquity of AirPods.
So I’m hoping that Beats 360 can push itself further away from Apple, regain its former customer presence, and solidify its identity in the process. Although it seems that in order for Beats 360 to do that, it had to dig into Apple’s past to find a way to be different.
