Beats Flex launched as a super-cheap way to get wireless headphones with iPhone-friendly fast-pairing and other handy features, costing just £49/US$49/AU$79. But now Beats (or Apple, its owner) has raised the price to £59/US$69/AU$99 quietly.
But if you were thinking of getting a pair and don't want to spend the extra cash, the good news is that in some places, they're still on offer for the old price! But that possibly won't last for long…
• See Beats Flex for US$49 at Amazon US
• See Beats Flex for £41 at Amazon UK
• See Beats Flex for £49 at Currys
• See Beats Flex for AU$72.45 at Amazon Australia
In our Beats Flex review, we said: "These connected wireless earbuds are a bargain, they have loads to offer for Apple users. You can hook them up to the Apple Find My network and you can share your audio with other Beats headphones and AirPods."
They do with with Android as well, just like regular Bluetooth headphones, but with iPhone, they give you more. And they'll probably be selling well over the next few months, as people buy the iPhone 13 and possibly need some headphones to match with them (since Apple doesn't include them in the box any more).
They're definitely among the best cheap wireless earbuds, and the price rise doesn't massively change that, but it's definitely better if you can save that money, right?
We're not sure why the price has gone up – it may be that the global chip shortage has mean they weren't profitable any more, or maybe there are other factors. We hope this isn't something we see across more of the best cheap headphones as Christmas approaches, but we'll see.
Upgrade to smarter living
Get the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products straight to your inbox.
Matt is T3's former AV and Smart Home Editor (UK), master of all things audiovisual, overseeing our TV, speakers and headphones coverage. He also covered smart home products and large appliances, as well as our toys and games articles. He's can explain both what Dolby Vision IQ is and why the Lego you're building doesn't fit together the way the instructions say, so is truly invaluable. Matt has worked for tech publications for over 10 years, in print and online, including running T3's print magazine and launching its most recent redesign. He's also contributed to a huge number of tech and gaming titles over the years. Say hello if you see him roaming the halls at CES, IFA or Toy Fair. Matt now works for our sister title TechRadar.
-
These dummies allegedly show the iPhone 4 SE – and there's a big surprise
Could Apple be working on two different versions of the iPhone SE 4?
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold SE official and a true flagship, but not everything is rosy
The perfect Samsung foldable phone? It just might be
By Sam Cross Published
-
These ridiculously good Beats are less than $100 in Prime Day sale
The Beats Solo 4 headphones have NEVER been this cheap, thank you Amazon!
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review: these headphones change the game on value
Cambridge Audio's first-ever over-ear headphones sit at a great price
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
This is how much the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 will cost, says leaker
A price rise might be incoming
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Marshall Major V review: minor improvements
Marshall's headphones are back with some tweaks
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: great mid-range earbuds
Sennheiser's Accentum range expands with new in-ears
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro hands-on images show very different earbuds
Samsung's new earbuds are imminent, but have been spotted in the wild already
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Samsung confirms Galaxy Buds 3 and 3 Pro are moving to AirPods design
It hasn't done so deliberately, though
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Audio-Technica ATH-S300BT headphones boast a staggering amount of battery life
If you want your wireless headphones to last for days, Audio-Technica has you covered
By Max Freeman-Mills Published