Powerbeats Pro 2 Can’t Play Music While Tracking Heart Rate on Gym Equipment

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Tags: apple powerbeats pro 2 powerbeats pro 2 review powerbeats pro 2 heart rate monitoring powerbeats pro 2 music playback gym equipment compatibility fitness earbuds apple earbuds heart rate accuracy smart fitness headphones apple earbuds limitations
AI Analysis

Apple's Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds have come under heavy criticism due to significant limitations in its heart rate monitoring functionality. Despite marketing as compatible with gym equipment and various fitness apps, users are reporting issues with simultaneous music playback and inaccurate readings. The company has confirmed that it cannot maintain a Bluetooth connection to a phone for music playback while tracking heart rate data. This limitation, coupled with persistent HR detection issues on both iOS and Android platforms, has led to widespread disappointment among users. Apple's marketing claims have been called into question, raising concerns about user expectations and product responsibility.

Key Points

  • Design Limitation vs User Expectations: The limitation of not being able to listen to music while tracking heart rate simultaneously raises questions about the product's design and Apple's marketing strategy. Is this a case of prioritizing one feature over another, or is it a genuine technical limitation?r
  • Compatibility Issues with Third-Party Apps: The fact that multiple fitness apps on both iOS and Android platforms are not compatible with the Powerbeats Pro 2 heart rate functionality raises concerns about Apple's claims of full compatibility. What implications does this have for users who rely on these apps for their fitness routine?r
  • Manufacturers' Responsibility towards User Experience: As manufacturers, companies like Apple have a responsibility to ensure that their products meet user expectations. In this case, the reported limitations and inaccuracies with the heart rate monitoring functionality raise questions about the company's commitment to delivering a seamless user experience.
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Original Article

Apple's new Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds have come in for heavy criticism because of a major limitation in its heart rate monitoring functionality, according to a detailed review by DC Rainmaker and corroborated by user reports.


DC's YouTube review reveals that despite being marketed as capable of pairing with gym equipment to display heart rate data at a glance, Powerbeats Pro 2 cannot simultaneously maintain a Bluetooth connection to a phone for music playback, a limitation Apple has since confirmed.
"You cannot listen to music with your iPhone while also paired with the gym equipment for heart rate," Apple said in an email in response to DC's query.
Several Reddit users have complained about the same issue. The limitation means users must choose between listening to music from their phone or sharing heart rate data with gym equipment, but not both at the same time.

DC's review also highlighted persistent HR detection issues when using Powerbeats Pro 2 with Apple devices. Apple markets the $249.99 earbuds as fully compatible with both iOS and Android systems, however DC and other fitness reviewers encountered problems getting the heart rate functionality to work properly with various iPhone apps.
"I started off on the Apple ecosystem side trying to use my Mac with an application called Zwift, but it wasn't detecting the heart rate sensor," DC explained. "I used the Strava app, it didn't work. I used the Peloton app, it didn't work. I used the Wahoo Fitness app, and it didn't work. I tried the Nike Run Club app, and it didn't even see the thing."

"It's at this point I decided to give up on my beloved iPhone and just went straight to an Android phone."
Curiously, when switching to Android devices, the Powerbeats Pro 2 heart rate functionality worked immediately across multiple fitness apps. This doesn't appear to have been down to a defect with DC's review unit, either. Similar issues have been reported by other tech reviewers, including DesFit and Shervin Shares, who also resorted to Android devices after failing to get reliable heart rate data on iOS.

The heart rate accuracy itself also came under scrutiny, with DC's testing showing significant data dropouts and inaccurate readings during both indoor cycling and outdoor running sessions.


The Powerbeats Pro 2 were released on February 11 with several new features including Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and heart rate monitoring. Apple claims to have put the earbuds through over 1,500 hours of testing against 1,000 athletes, but the reported real-world limitations suggest Apple's implementation is falling short of some user's expectations.

Powerbeats Pro 2 retail for $249.99 and are available in Electric Orange, Hyper Purple, Jet Black, and Quick Sand. Have you had similar issues with the earbuds? Let us know in the comments.
Tags: Beats, Powerbeats Pro

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