Beats is killing Powerbeats, Beats EP and Solo Pro to let its new Fit Pro live
Out with the old, in with the new
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The popular headphone brand Beats has quietly done away with three of its older models - theBeats Powerbeats,Beats EPandBeats Solo Pro.
Two of these headphones (the Powerbeats and Solo Pro) were released back in 2019 while the third model - the Beats EP - was released in 2017.
Likely Beats has decided to discontinue these older models to make room for some of the newer products it’s developed in the last few years including theBeats Studio Buds,Powerbeats Proand the latestBeats Fit Prothat are due out on November 5.
The upside to the cutback? We’re expecting retailers to dump any remaining stock of those headphones by significantly slashing their prices forBlack FridayandCyber Monday.
Analysis: Should you buy a discontinued product?
It’s difficult to make sweeping statements for buying advice as circumstances vary product by product, but on the whole it’s typically OK to buy discontinued products so long as they’re new-in-box when you get them.
Buying second-hand or refurbished can come with its own set of problems, but buying older products typically just means losing out on some newer features rather than buying a product that may or may not work.
The only other drawback is that the lifespan of the product may not be as long as a newer product - especially if it’s reliant on software updates to keep going.
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Still, headphones and earbuds are usually safe investments. Audio enthusiasts end up keeping headphones for the better part of a decade (and sometimes longer) because audio technology doesn’t change as quickly as laptops, phones and TVs.
Long story short, if you see any of the above on sale for Black Friday still new-in-box, you can feel pretty safe picking up a pair.
ViaWhat Hi-Fi?
Nick Pino is Managing Editor, TV and AV for TechRadar’s sister site, Tom’s Guide. Previously, he was the Senior Editor of Home Entertainment at TechRadar, covering TVs, headphones, speakers, video games, VR and streaming devices. He’s also written for GamesRadar+, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade, and he has a degree in computer science he’s not using if anyone wants it.
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