Beats has officially unveiled the Powerbeats Pro 2, the long-awaited sequel to its popular fitness earbuds. The new model retains the ear hook design that's synonymous with the Powerbeats line, but with a sleeker and more compact build. The buds are 20 percent lighter than their predecessors, and the charging case has been scaled down by 33 percent, now supporting Qi wireless charging and USB-C.

The most notable feature of the Powerbeats Pro 2 is the addition of heart-rate monitoring, a feature rumored to be coming to Apple's AirPods in the future. Both earbuds contain LED optical sensors that pulse over 100 times per second to measure blood flow, with an algorithm parsing the data from both earbuds to provide accurate readings. This data can be relayed to compatible fitness apps, including Nike Run Club, Peloton, Open, and more, as well as reviewed later in the Apple Health app.

In addition to heart-rate monitoring, the Powerbeats Pro 2 now feature proper active noise cancellation (ANC) and a transparency mode, thanks to Apple's H2 chip. This integration also brings a host of other Apple ecosystem features, such as audio sharing, hands-free "Hey Siri" commands, personalized spatial audio, and Find My support. Android users can rely on the Beats app for some features, but unlike the Studio Buds Plus, these earbuds aren't designed to take advantage of Google's native OS capabilities like Fast Pair or Find My Device.

Battery life has seen a significant improvement, with Beats claiming the Powerbeats Pro 2 can achieve up to 8 hours of continuous playback with ANC enabled (or 10 hours with it off) and a total of 36 hours (or 45 hours with ANC off) when factoring in additional juice from the case. The sweat and water resistance rating remains the same IPX4 as the previous model, although Beats has redesigned the earbuds' venting system to better guard against water ingress and claims the ear hook is its most robust yet in regards to wear and tear.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 are available starting today for the same $249 price as before, in four colors: orange, purple, gray, and black. For a more in-depth look at the new design, heart-rate monitoring accuracy, and sound quality, check out our full review.

The release of the Powerbeats Pro 2 marks a significant upgrade to Beats' fitness earbuds, offering a more compact design, improved battery life, and advanced features like heart-rate monitoring. As the fitness earbud market continues to grow, it will be interesting to see how the Powerbeats Pro 2 competes with other popular options like Jabra's Elite 8 Active and Sennheiser's Momentum Sport earbuds.

With Apple's influence evident in the Powerbeats Pro 2's design and features, it's clear that the company is committed to expanding its presence in the fitness technology space. As the tech giant continues to explore new ways to integrate its ecosystem with fitness and health tracking, the Powerbeats Pro 2 may be just the beginning of a new wave of innovative products.