Android users typically flock to smartphone brands or traditional audio brands when choosing their next pair of earbuds or headphones. Products from Samsung, Google, Sony, or Bose are common among Android users. They usually don’t grab AirPods because Apple’s earbuds and headphones don’t play nice with Android or Windows devices. Beats, being owned by Apple for over a decade, unfairly has a similar reputation.
Yes, Beats is an Apple company, but the brand’s headphones and earbuds work superbly with Android phones. In fact, you’ll find that most Beats products support more Google-exclusive features than some dedicated Android audio products. For example, there are Beats headphones and earbuds with Google Find Hub, Google Fast Pair, and Audio Switching support. The integration runs deep, and it makes Beats a joy to use on any Android device.
Google Fast Pair
Google’s Fast Pair system is one of the best parts of using a pair of Bluetooth headphones or earbuds within the Android ecosystem. Simply power on a set of supported wireless headphones or open the case of a pair of wireless earbuds, and they’ll automatically enter Bluetooth pairing mode. Tap the pop-up on your Android device, and the headphones or earbuds will instantly connect.
Better yet, the Bluetooth device will be registered to your Google account. That means it’ll automatically connect with any device signed in to your Google account using the Fast Pair feature. Sure enough, many Beats headphones and earbuds support Google Fast Pair. That list includes the Solo Buds, Studio Buds Plus, Solo 4, and Studio Pro.
All you need to do is open the case for supported Beats earbuds or turn on Beats headphones, and you’ll be able to use Fast Pair to quickly connect and seamlessly switch between Android phones and tablets.
Find My Device (Find Hub)
The same list of Beats headphones and earbuds will work with Google’s Find My Device network, now known as Find Hub. It’s a unified way to locate lost devices within the Google ecosystem using crowdsourced location data.
When the Fast Pair pop-up opens for supported Beats audio products, you’ll see a card asking you to add the headphones or earbuds to the Find Hub network. If you agree, you’ll be able to track your Beats earbuds, headphones, or speaker in the Google Find Hub app.
Alternatively, you can download the Beats app for Android and navigate to the Locate My Beats button to start tracking your products.
Android Audio Switching
After you set up your Beats with Google Fast Pair, you can use Android’s built-in audio switching feature to let the headphones or earbuds automatically move between devices signed in to your Google account. For example, your Beats can switch between your Android phone and tablet as the connected device based on which is currently playing audio.
To start using the feature with your Beats, open the Settings app on your Android phone and tap Connected devices. Then find your Beats product in the list and tap the Settings icon. Finally, tap Audio switch and flip the toggle beside Use audio switch. After that, your Beats headphones, earbuds, or speakers will automatically switch between Android devices signed in to your Google account.
Unfortunately, not every Beats product will work with the aforementioned features. The beloved Powerbeats Pro 2 and Powerbeats Fit are notable exceptions. However, even those earbuds offer great Android features through the Beats app. You can change settings and manage ANC modes with the Beats app for Android.
The app also supports Android home screen widgets, which are great for keeping tabs on battery life or changing modes. For instance, the Powerbeats Pro 2 widget shows the battery life, ANC modes, or heart-rate monitoring status. It also lets you change the ANC mode or activate the inbuilt HRM without leaving your Android home screen.
While it’s a bummer that not every Beats product offers the same level of Google integration, it’s nice to see many of them fully support Android features. I wish the Powerbeats Pro 2 and Powerbeats Fit had better Android support, but that seems to be a consequence of using Apple H-series chips rather than proprietary Beats chips.
Alas, it’s neat that the overwhelming majority of Beats headphones and earbuds — including the Beats Solo Buds, Beats Studio Buds Plus, Beats Solo 4, and Beats Studio Pro — work with these Google exclusives.
Budget Android earbuds
The Beats Solo Buds are a tiny and affordable pair of truly wireless earbuds that work great with Android phones. They support Google Fast Pair, Find My Device, Audio Switching, and widgets. The sound quality is just fine, but that’s because the price is extremely attractive.