Beats has announced the new Beats 360, an over-ear headphone featuring customisable cushions, enhanced noise cancellation, and sweat resistance, set to shake up the premium audio market from 24 September.
Beats has finally set a price and release date for its long-teased over-ear headphones, moving the product from rumour to retail with a launch that begins on Thursday, 24 September. The company has put the Beats 360 at $349.99 in the US, with pre-orders already open through Apple, Amazon and other retailers in more than 100 countries. The first wave of finishes will be Black, Cloud, Pink and Sky.
The model’s defining feature is its interchangeable cushion system. Beats says the ear pads can be removed in seconds, while the headband pad also detaches, allowing owners to change both the look and the material of the headphones without replacing the whole set. Performance Knit kits will arrive in the launch colours, plus Navy and Volt, while UltraPlush options use engineered leather in Black and Cloud. Beats says the headphones can recognise which cushion type is fitted and adjust acoustics and noise cancellation accordingly.
The design also marks a more workout-friendly direction for the brand’s premium over-ear line. According to the company, the Beats 360 are the first Beats over-ear headphones with IPX4 sweat and water resistance, enabled by a sealed rear chamber and an acoustic firewall behind the drivers. Each ear cup carries its own battery, antenna and processor, with charging handled over a single USB-C port on the left cup. Beats says the arrangement lets it put more weight into the pads and less into the headband, with the finished product weighing 294.5 grammes.
On the audio side, the headphones use new 40mm drivers with dual neodymium ring magnets and a three-layer diaphragm. Beats claims the sound is louder and cleaner than on the Studio Pro, while nine microphones support active noise cancellation and voice pickup. The company says ANC is up to 1.75 times more effective than on its previous over-ear model, and battery life is rated at up to 32 hours even with ANC and spatial audio enabled. A five-minute charge is said to deliver an hour of playback. Apple-device extras include one-touch setup, automatic device switching, Audio Sharing and Find My, while Android users get Fast Pair, Audio Switch and Find Hub.
The launch also appears designed to keep the accessory business in motion. Extra cushion kits are normally priced at $49.99, but Beats is offering a temporary launch price of $9.99 in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, China and South Korea. That makes the line unusually customisable for a mainstream headset, with the potential for more than 200 colour combinations. Beats Studio Pro remains on sale at a lower price of $299.99, but the new model is clearly aimed at buyers who want a more configurable flagship that can also cope with exercise.
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