Apple has been rumored to be working on a third generation of AirPods with active noise control (ANC), also known as noise cancellation, or active noise reduction (ANR). Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested the updated AirPods could launch late this year or early next year with an "all-new design."
Today's iOS 13.2 beta release includes an icon showing redesigned AirPods that appear to have rubber ear tips that would likely be needed as part of a noise cancelation feature.
The file name includes reference to a B298 code name, and the image is contained in the Accessibility Settings folder. This could suggest these new AirPods will contain a new accessibility feature such as being able to use them as hearing aids, or it could be related to existing Live Listen capabilities.
There's no specific word on when the new AirPods could debut, but Apple has a number of rumored pending announcements that could point toward an October media event.
Update 11:55 AM: As noted by a MacRumors reader, a claimed photo leak last month from 52 Audio bears a strong resemblance to the image found in iOS 13.2, suggesting the leak may be accurate.
Thursday August 14, 2025 4:13 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple made a major slip Wednesday when it accidentally included hardware identifiers in software code linking to numerous unannounced products.
The leaked information provided MacRumors with concrete evidence of Apple's hardware development across multiple product categories. Here's everything that was confirmed through the code discoveries:
New HomePod mini with updated chip – New...
Wednesday August 13, 2025 1:45 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro will have a starting price that is $50 more than the iPhone 16 Pro but it will come with a minimum 256GB of storage, doubling the base capacity compared to last year's model. The information comes from Chinese leaker Instant Digital, posting on Weibo. The account, which has 1.5 million followers, has now made the claim three separate times in recent weeks....
Monday August 11, 2025 12:09 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple is continuing to tweak the way that the Liquid Glass design looks ahead of the iOS 26 launch, and the latest beta makes a change to the Lock Screen.
The Lock Screen clock has been updated with additional transparency, allowing more of the background to peek through.
Beta 6 on left, beta 5 on right
The clock also has more of a 3D, floating look, which is in line with the rest of the ...
Tuesday August 12, 2025 12:46 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
It is now mid-August, meaning that Apple's annual iPhone event is just around the corner.
This year, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17, the all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Here are some of the key rumors for those devices:iPhone 17: Same design as iPhone 16, but with an A19 chip, a larger 6.3-inch display, an upgraded 24-megapixel front camera, ...
Tuesday August 12, 2025 11:48 am PDT by Juli Clover
We're just about a month away from Apple's annual September event, and we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. There are some useful new features rumored for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which we've summarized below.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Satellite Connectivity - The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be the first...
Thursday August 14, 2025 3:40 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
An alleged iPhone 17 Pro production leak may provide a first look at the device's milled all-aluminum chassis, which this year includes the camera bump – in contrast to last year's iPhone 16 Pro model that features a glass camera module attached to an all-glass back panel.
Originally shared by leaker Majin Bu, the image below could be of a moulding, but it still lines up with rumors that...
Wednesday August 13, 2025 5:29 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Rumors suggest that Apple is working on an updated version of the Apple TV that's slated for launch later this year. Information about the upcoming device that was found in Apple code indicates that it will be equipped with the A17 Pro chip.
There have been multiple rumors about a new Apple TV coming in 2025 with a new A-series processor, but it hasn't been clear which chip Apple would use...
Thursday August 14, 2025 7:29 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
In case you missed it — this is the post for people who mainly only read headlines — Apple has announced that it will be releasing iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 later today. Apple shared this information in a press release on its Newsroom website.
The software updates will re-enable the Blood Oxygen feature on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 models sold in the United States....
Tuesday August 12, 2025 11:08 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
While the summer months are often relatively quiet for Apple, the company still has many new products coming later this year.
Below, we have outlined at least 10 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each.
This article was originally published last month, and it has been updated with the latest rumors.
iPhone 17 Series
iPhon...
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
