AirPods Pro 3
Contents
The AirPods Pro 3 are Apple's latest high-end flagship earbuds, offering Active Noise Cancellation, heart rate tracking, sound quality improvements, Live Translation, and more. The AirPods Pro 3 are priced at $249 and are sold alongside the $129 AirPods 4, the $174 AirPods 4 with ANC, and the $549 AirPods Max.
Apple updated the design of the AirPods Pro 3, though on the whole, the earbuds look similar to the AirPods Pro 2. Apple reengineered the AirPods Pro 3 using more than 10,000 ear scans and over 100,000 hours of user research to improve the fit. The internal AirPods architecture was overhauled to make each AirPod smaller, and the geometry of the ear tip was aligned to the center of the body for better stability. Compared to the prior-generation AirPods, the ear tips are rotated slightly inward.
The updated shape is meant to have a better fit in the ear canal, improving sound isolation and ensuring that the AirPods Pro stay in place during workouts. The AirPods Pro 3 are the same height as the AirPods Pro 2 with no change to the stem, but they are deeper and a bit slimmer in width. The AirPods Pro 3 feature new foam-infused silicone ear tips in five sizes, including XXS (a new size), XS, S, M, and L. The new foam tips provide improved passive noise isolation. The AirPods Pro 3 now offer IP57 sweat and water resistance, up from IP54.
The AirPods Charging Case is slightly larger than before, with a capacitive pairing button, an invisible LED, and an attachment point for a lanyard. Like the AirPods Pro 2, the AirPods Pro 3 are available only in white. The cause includes a built-in speaker for Find My, and a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip that enables precision finding.
Sound quality has improved thanks to an updated multiport acoustic architecture that more precisely controls the airflow that carries sound into the ear. Apple says that spatial audio is better than before, and with next-generation Adaptive EQ, the new architecture provides deeper bass, clearer vocals, and a wider soundstage with improved instrument separation.
Active Noise Cancellation removes up to 2x more noise than the AirPods Pro 2 with ultra-low noise microphones and advanced computational audio combined with the new foam tips. More personalized Transparency ensures that a user's voice and the people speaking sound more natural than before while still blocking out loud sounds. Though there are ANC and audio quality improvements, Apple did not introduce a new chip. The AirPods Pro 3 continue to use the H2 chip.
Apple added a heart rate sensor that uses invisible infrared light pulsed at 256 times per second to measure light absorption in blood flow. When paired with the accelerometers, gyroscope, GPS, and an on-device AI model on the iPhone, users can start up to 50 different workout types and track heart rate and calories burned. AirPods Pro 3 support Workout Buddy, an Apple Intelligence-powered workout assistant that provides personalized, motivational insights.
Battery life has improved and the AirPods Pro 3 last for up to eight hours with ANC on before needing to be recharged, or up to 6.5 hours when using heart rate sensing. The AirPods Pro 3 Charging Case only provides 24 hours of listening time with ANC enabled instead of 30 like the AirPods Pro 2. The Charging Case can be charged with USB-C, MagSafe, Qi, or an Apple Watch charger. Five minutes in the case provides one hour of listening time.
A Live Translation feature enables real-time in-person communication across different languages. Spoken audio is translated by the AirPods when the AirPods are connected to an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence. Apple says that Live Translation is designed to help users understand another language and communicate with others by speaking naturally. Live Translation is available in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.
For those who use the AirPods as hearing aids, Conversation Boost is now automatic, amplifying voices and cutting down on background noise. Battery life in Transparency mode also lasts for up to 10 hours when using the AirPods Pro 3 as a hearing aid, so less frequent charging is needed.
The AirPods Pro 3 stem continues to offer Touch Control, with physical media playback and volume adjustment options that can be used with a swipe or a press. A new press and hold gesture allows the AirPods Pro 3 to serve as a camera remote for an iPhone.
Like all AirPods, the AirPods Pro 3 support automatic switching between devices, one-tap setup and pairing, and audio sharing.
The AirPods Pro 3 can be pre-ordered from Apple's website for $249, and will launch on Friday, September 19.
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How to Buy
The AirPods Pro 3 can be pre-ordered from the Apple online store. AirPods Pro are priced at $249, and can be customized with a Memoji, Animoji, or emoji engraving.
The AirPods Pro 3 will launch on Friday, September 19.
Other AirPods
The AirPods Pro 3 are available alongside the AirPods 4, priced starting at $129, and the over-ear AirPods Max, priced at $549.
Apple's AirPods 4 are similar to the AirPods Pro, but without silicone ear tips. The cheaper model priced at $129 does not offer Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology, but the $179 model includes ANC plus a wireless charging case that also includes a speaker for Find My support. The AirPods Max also feature ANC, but are larger over-ear headphones made from aluminum.
What's Next for the AirPods Pro
Based on Apple's patent filings, a future version of the AirPods or AirPods Pro could include a built-in interactive touchscreen display that would let users control audio sources and interact with apps associated with the connected device, though there are no rumors of this technology coming in 2025.
A future version of the AirPods will include integrated infrared camera modules to improve spatial experiences when paired with the Vision Pro headset. The cameras will work similarly to the Face ID system on the iPhone, scanning the area surrounding the user to better map the environment. The cameras could also provide data for more advanced AI capabilities.
The IR cameras will allow for a broader range of gestures that will improve user interaction and the syncing of audio to head movement. The cameras that will be added to the AirPods could also be used to scan the environment and describe objects, similar to the Visual Intelligence feature that's available on newer iPhones.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes we could see these new AirPods as soon as 2026, but it is not yet clear if the feature will be added to the standard AirPods or a version of the AirPods Pro. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman thinks we could get AirPods with cameras in 2027.
AirPods Pro Roundup Changelog
- September 11 - Redone for AirPods Pro 3.
