Apple’s surprise watchOS 26 upgrade turns Beats’ flagship buds into heart-rate and step-tracking fitness companions

Apple may have quietly dropped the Apple Watch Series 11 this year, but it hasn’t forgotten about one of its most popular audio products.

Beats’ Powerbeats Pro 2 just got a massive fitness-focused upgrade via watchOS 26, transforming the sporty true wireless buds into fully fledged workout companions.

The update adds more accurate heart-rate monitoring, calorie tracking and step counts directly to the Powerbeats Pro 2, bringing them much closer to devices like the AirPods Pro 2 and even some specialist sports headphones.

It’s a surprising move, considering that most people expected Apple to keep these features exclusive to AirPods (incl. the new AirPods 3), not hand them to Beats.

Better with Apple Watch

According to the brand, with watchOS 26 and iOS 26, Powerbeats Pro 2 can now measure your heart rate and calories burned with better accuracy across 50 different workout types in the Fitness app.

Apple Fitness+ subscribers will see those numbers, including the Burn Bar, displayed on-screen in real-time, directly from the buds.

You don’t even need to wear both earbuds: Apple says you can track heart rate from a single bud if you prefer to keep one ear free.

Pair Powerbeats Pro 2 with an Apple Watch and things get even more interesting.

The two devices now work together to provide multiple streams of heart-rate data for better accuracy and coverage.

A new algorithm speeds up heart-rate detection, and the buds can even send you notifications if the fit isn’t quite right for accurate tracking.

Step counting has also been added when your iPhone is nearby but not on your person, a neat perk for gym-goers who prefer to leave their phone in a locker.

The update doesn’t just improve fitness features. Siri Interactions now work on Powerbeats Pro 2, allowing you to nod to accept a call or shake your head to dismiss a notification, providing hands-free controls that previously felt more at home on the Apple Watch.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 were already popular with runners and gym-goers thanks to their secure fit and powerful sound, but adding heart-rate monitoring and Fitness+ integration suddenly gives them the credentials of a serious sports wearable.

If you own a pair, it’s worth updating right away; they’ve just levelled up in a big way.