Will the AirPods Pro 3 Launch This Year?
After a substantial update in 2022, can users expect Apple to launch the next-generation AirPods Pro this year?
![airpods pro 2](https://images.macrumors.com/t/CMt7R3RJ6ZyrrEm9SFF_GXYfWtQ=/400x0/article-new/2022/09/airpods-pro-2.jpg?lossy)
The second-generation AirPods Pro launched in September 2022, offering a major update with active noise cancellation enhancements, Adaptive Transparency mode, H2 chips, battery life improvements, touch volume controls, improved battery life, IPX4 sweat and water resistance, Apple Watch charger compatibility, the U1 chip for precision finding, and more. The scale of this update suggests that it could be some time before a sufficient number of further upgrades are ready for a third-generation model. Indeed, the third-generation AirPods and the AirPods Max may need to catch up with the existing AirPods Pro before a further update to Apple's high-end in-ear earbuds.
The second-generation AirPods Pro came 35 months after the launch of the previous generation, which similarly suggests that it could be a long while before a third-generation model arrives. Likewise, Apple appears to focus on refreshing just one AirPods model each year, in which case, the AirPods Max would be next up for a refresh, followed by the standard AirPods. This means that third-generation AirPods Pro may not arrive until 2025.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the AirPods Pro to switch to USB-C by 2024, but this does not necessarily mean that there will be a new model to introduce this change. Apple could simply upgrade the charging case, just as it did in October 2021 when it added MagSafe to the first-generation AirPods Pro. Overall, at the current time, new AirPods Pro this year seem very unlikely. 2024 or 2025 appear to be more probable time frames for the introduction of a third-generation model.
Popular Stories
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...