How Beats designed the Beats 360 headphones

Beats VP Oliver Schusser discusses the company's new headphones and what to expect in the future.

Beats has just unveiled its new Beats 360 headphones , which sit above the established Beats Studio Pro as an even more premium alternative. I had the chance to check out the new Beats 360 before the official launch, and the product is definitely appealing. It looks quite different from that classic Beats design, but still keeps key elements loved by the brand's most loyal fans. To better understand this launch, I sat down with Oliver Schusser — vice president of Apple Music and Beats. We talked about how this model differs from other Beats and Apple products, and even what to expect in the future.

We already have a full review of the new Beats 360 if you'd like to take a closer look at what they can do. But to sum it up, Beats is going for a more modular and fun design. The ear cushions and headband are easily interchangeable, and you can mix and match different colors. I personally loved this approach, but I had to ask Schusser who exactly they're targeting with the new headphones.

It turns out that Schusser says these headphones are for everyone. "It's female, male, it's younger people, older people. It's pretty actually broad," he said. But of course, he sees that the mix-and-match trend plays better with young people. The idea is like having different pairs of sneakers, but this time with headphone ear cushions. "It almost feels like you have multiple headphones," he added.

This customization goes beyond colors. Beats is offering two different versions of the ear cushions: one is made of fabric and is perfect for working out, while the other is made of eco-friendly leather for a more stylish look. Think of it as changing your iPhone case depending on where you're going. Not everyone will care about this, but it's nice to have that option.

When Beats was designing the new headphones, it wanted to try something new without losing the brand's identity. Schusser told me that he still sees Beats' identity in the new product, from the fun colors to the iconic "b" logo on the sides.

"It still feels very Beats to me, even though it's a very new, innovative, sort of lighter sort of look," he said. In fact, the Beats 360 matches well with other products in the lineup, such as the Powerbeats Pro 2 and the company's iPhone cases — even though Beats isn't making cases for the iPhone 18 this year, which is a shame.

Beats is an Apple brand, and while they pride themselves on their autonomy, you can clearly see Apple's influence in Beats products. It's no surprise that the Beats 360 looks similar to the AirPods Max in some ways. But interestingly, the Beats 360 headphones don't have an Apple audio chip like the AirPods Max. Instead, Beats is betting on a new generation of its own custom chip. Why? Schusser says it's because some Beats products take a very different approach from the AirPods — even though they work very closely with Apple.