Powerbeats Pro 2 adding Apple Fitness support, better heart rate monitoring, more with iOS 26

AirPods Pro 3 debuted this week with new heart rate monitoring features. This follows the debut of Powerbeats Pro 2, which launched in February as Apple’s first pair of earbuds with heart monitoring capabilities. Now, Beats has confirmed that the implementation of heart rate tracking on Powerbeats Pro 2 is getting a big upgrade to mirror the functionality offered by AirPods Pro 3. When the Powerbeats Pro 2 were released in February, there were a few limitations surrounding heart rate monitoring that I detailed in my review. There was no integration with Apple’s Fitness app or Apple Fitness+, nor was there any way for Powerbeats Pro 2 heart rate data to interact with data from the Apple Watch. Beats, however, has now confirmed to 9to5Mac that all of this is changing with iOS 26. Here’s what’s new for the heart rate tracking features on Powerbeats Pro 2: Powerbeats Pro 2 can now integrate with the Apple Fitness app, so you can start a workout on your iPhone and monitor your heart rate in real-time. This is supported by up to 50 different workout types, just like AirPods Pro 3. Powerbeats Pro 2 now integrate with Apple Fitness+ to view real-time on-screen data for heart rate, calories burned, and the Burn Bar. Powerbeats Pro 2 and Apple Watch now give you multiple sources of heart rate data to improve overall accuracy during different types of workouts. Powerbeats Pro 2 can now count your steps when you don’t have your iPhone or Apple Watch on you. There are also broader improvements to heart rate tracking on Powerbeats Pro 2 coming with iOS 26: A new algorithm improves performance with faster heart rate readings (also coming to Android). You will receive a notification on ways to adjust your Powerbeats Pro fit to improve heart rate tracking features (also coming to Android). You can now track your heart rate when only wearing one Powerbeats Pro 2 bud. Finally, Powerbeats Pro 2 are adding support for hands-free gestures with Siri, allowing you to nod your head yes or no in response to things like incoming calls, texts, and other notifications. These improvements make Powerbeats Pro 2 a compelling alternative to AirPods Pro 3 for people who prefer the ear-hook design. They’re also currently $50 cheaper than AirPods Pro 3 on Amazon. My favorite iPhone accessories: