10 High-End Wireless Headphones for Your iPhone 7

Because the iPhone 7 doesn’t include a headphone jack, owners of the new Apple phone will need to buy wireless headphones. Here are some options.

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless headphones are among the most expensive in this roundup at $500. For that, customers will get a full headphone design, complete with earcups to keep the sound around the ears. The headphones connect to a device wirelessly, though they do come with a cable for those who want wired sound. The Momentum Wireless headphones also ship with an omnidirectional microphone so they can be used for calls.

The Beats Solo3 Wireless on-ear headphones come with Apple’s new W1 wireless chip. The Beats Solo3 headphones, which were unveiled at Apple’s iPhone press event, come with up to 40 hours of battery life and earcups to keep the sound trapped around the ears. They retail for $300, and users get three hours of playback after just five minutes of charging. Plus, they can simultaneously connect to Apple Watch, Macs and iOS devices.

The Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless comes with the company’s popular noise-canceling technology, which eliminates ambient sound to deliver better audio quality. Like many others in this roundup, the QuietComfort 35 headphones have volume-optimized EQ for balanced audio levels and dual microphones so users can make calls. The headphones have up to 20 hours of wireless charging and can connect to devices not only via Bluetooth but also near-field communication. The QuietComfort 35 Wireless headphones cost $350.

Plantronics is perhaps best-known for Bluetooth phone headsets, but the company’s Backbeat Sense also are worth considering. The Backbeat Sense come with up to 18 hours of audio playback before they need to be recharged and cost a somewhat more affordable $180. Like several others, the Backbeat Sense have a built-in microphone to place calls and come with a “smart wireless” feature that can connect to devices at ranges of up to 330 feet.

Jaybird calls its Freedom earbuds the smallest in the business. While it’s unclear whether that’s true, the Freedom earbuds are extremely small and designed to barely be noticeable in the ear. The earbuds are made from “premium metal” and have an accompanying MySound app so users can create settings for optimum sound. The earbuds work with smartphones and wearables, and cost $200.

Bowers & Wilkins is another high-end headphone maker, and its P7 Wireless headphones fit that mold at a cost of $400. The heavy-duty headphones come with a leather finish and a folding design to fit snugly into a carrying case. Bowers & Wilkins says the headphones can be paired “within seconds,” and have 17 hours of battery life. They also come with two microphones.

Athletes looking for earbuds that can be used while running around town might want to consider the Jabra Elite Sport. The Jabra Elite Sport offer just three hours of music or talk time on a single charge, but if they’re connected to their “on-the-go charging case,” users will get an additional six hours of battery life. The low-profile earbuds also have a microphone and an in-ear heart-rate monitor that connects to an accompanying app. The Jabra Elite Sport is scheduled to hit store shelves on Oct. 30 for $250.

At its iPhone event, Apple announced that Beats, which it acquired in 2014 for more than $3 billion, would launch new wireless headphones known as the BeatsX. The earphones, which are set to ship this fall, cost $150 but, like Apple’s AirPods and the Beats Solo3, come with the W1 wireless chip that allows them to connect to the iPhone and Apple Watch. The BeatsX offer eight hours of sound on a single charge and the ability to add two hours of playback in just five minutes. There’s also a wire connecting the two earphones that provides physical buttons for increasing volume, among other features.

The Sony H.ear headphones come with the ability to connect to devices via Bluetooth or near-field communication. Like the Bose QuiteComfort 35, they also have noise-canceling features that digitally block background noise. According to Sony, the headphones, which cost $350, feature the “hi-res audio” certification and HD voice support in the microphone to deliver better hands-free calls.

Finally, it’s important to include in this roundup of iPhone 7 wireless headphones Apple’s own set, called AirPods. The AirPods, which will launch in late October, have a simple design and connect to both iPhones and Apple Watch units through Apple’s W1 wireless chip. The AirPods are designed to interact with Siri, as well as facilitate calls, thanks to their built-in microphone. AirPods have up to five hours of battery life on a single charge and can regain three hours of battery life after just 15 minutes of charging. They’ll cost $159 when Apple releases them, planned for October.