Powerbeats 3 earphones with Apple’s W1 chip are now available to buy

First shown off at the September launch of the iPhone 7, the Powerbeats 3 wireless headphones by Beats are now available to buy. Following the availability of the on-ear Beats Solo3 and Apple's own wireless AirPods, the Powerbeats are now the third product to use Apple's proprietary W1 chip.

According to Apple, what that W1 chip delivers is extra battery life. The Powerbeats 2 only lasted six hours on a single charge, but the new Powerbeats 3 double that capacity to twelve hours. Plus, a new "Fast Fuel" feature means they can charge for an hour's use in just five minutes. As with the AirPods, they should also deliver frictionless pairing with the new iPhone, but as the underlying wireless protocol is Bluetooth, they'll work just fine with other Bluetooth-supported devices as well.

As we pointed out back in September, Apple's ownership of Beats (the number one wireless headphone company in the world) certainly means it benefits from the removal of the iPhone 7's 3.5mm headphone jack, but that doesn't take away from the many benefits of wireless audio itself. Avoiding the familiar tangle of headphone wires is something most people can get behind. If you're interesting in trying out the Powerbeats 3, they cost $199.95 from Apple's store with shipping estimates of one to two weeks.