Sometimes Apple leaks come from deep within the supply chain or insiders or analysts with great sources — and sometimes they come from Apple itself.
Icons for what’s believed to be the Powerbeats 4 wireless headphones were just found in the latest iOS 13.3.1 software update. As reported by Macrumors, the Powerbeats 4 look like a cross between the Powerbeats Pro wireless earbuds (with its curved design) and the Powerbeats 3.
Just like the Powerbeats 3, there’s a wire hanging down on the Powerbeats 4 icons, so once again you can expect that the cable will connect the two buds on these wireless headphones. But there are some welcome upgrades apparently on the way.
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One of the new Powerbeats 4 features is support for Hey, Siri, which means you’ll be able to summon Apple’s digital assistant completely hands-free. You should also be to pair the Powerbeats 4 seamlessly with iPhones via Apple’s H1 chip and have incoming messages announced to you.
Other Powerbeats 3 features we expect to carry over to the Powerbeats 4 include sweat- and water-resistance, as well as 12 hours of battery life. The Powerbeats 3 charge via microUSB, so it's reasonable to assume Apple will move towards Lightning or USB-C.
The current Powerbeats 3 earbuds cost $199, so it’s reasonable to expect that the Powerbeats 4 will be in the same range. As for the Powerbeats 4 release date, it could be imminent given their fresh appearance in the latest build of iOS 13.
Apple could decide to launch the Powerbeats 4 to coincide with the release for the iPhone SE 2/iPhone 9 this March, but we don’t see a reason to wait at this point.
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