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.
Monday October 26, 2026 9:25 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2 enable Apple's clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature on the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 in five Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan. The feature is still not available in any other provinces, but Ontario is reportedly set to hold a meeting to change a law that will pave the way for it to launch there,...
Wednesday October 28, 2026 10:11 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today announced a new high-end MacBook Pro, which is available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. The new device has a PROLED XDR display that supports touch gestures, and a glowing rear Apple logo.
Pricing on the MacBook Pro starts at $2,899 for the 14-inch model and $3,399 for the 16-inch model.
Apple says the MacBook Pro has the "world's best display in a pro laptop." The PROLED...
Apple today announced a refreshed 14-inch MacBook Pro featuring the M6 chip, upgraded connectivity specifications, and more.
The M6 chip in the MacBook Pro features a 12-core CPU with 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, and 6 efficiency cores, paired with a 12-core GPU. This is up from the M5 chip with a 10-core CPU with 4 super cores and 6 efficiency cores, paired with a 10-core GPU.
M6...
