Apple has announced that the audio streaming that comes with AirPods with iOS 13 will also come to Beats headphones with an Apple H1 or B1 chip – allowing you and a friend to listen to the same music from the same iPhone.
On What is Hi-Fi? Audio Sharing will be compatible with the Pro Overhead, Overhead 3 Wireless, BeatsX, Solo 3 Wireless, and Studio 3 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones, as well as Apple AirPods.
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The feature will be available from September 23rd, under Apple's latest operating system, iOS 13. Not all iOS 13 devices will support audio sharing, though, so you'll need to have an iPhone with 8 or later, iPad Pro 12.9, iPad Air (2019), iPad mini (2019), or iPod touch (7th generation).
Two kidneys, one iPhone
Audio Splitter is a pretty nifty feature - if you and your friend both have a pair of AirPods (or compatible Beats headphones), you just need to tap the two phones together and you'll both be able to listen to your individual AirPods to whatever is playing.
It's not a big surprise that it's come to Beats headphones; after all, Apple acquired Beats in 2014 for a staggering $3 billion.
It's not clear whether audio sharing will come to non-Apple audio devices, but so what is Hi-Fi? indicates the technology is "mostly Bluetooth 5.0", so it wouldn't be a huge stretch for other manufacturers to come on board.
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Through What is Hi-Fi?