AirPods Pro 3: Here’s everything we know so far

3 months ago 22

Apple’s iPhone 16 event is only weeks away, and new AirPods are expected to debut there too. But will the next-generation AirPods Pro 3 be among them? Here’s everything we know about the AirPods Pro 3 release date and expected features.

AirPods Pro 3 coming in 2025

Apple is preparing to launch AirPods 4 this fall as the next version of the base-model AirPods.

Unfortunately, AirPods Pro 3 reportedly aren’t yet ready for release this year.

The latest reporting pins 2025 as the release window for AirPods Pro 3.

Apple likes to release new AirPods in the fall, and that was the case for the first two generations of AirPods Pro. Each version released in October and September, respectively, with the first-gen in 2019 and second-gen in 2022.

Although AirPods Pro 3 could certainly debut sooner, the most likely release date based on Apple’s pattern is fall 2025.

That means anyone looking to upgrade still has a long time to wait.

New features of AirPods Pro 3

Apple takes several years between new models of AirPods Pro. But it hasn’t let up adding new features during that time.

In fact, the AirPods Pro 2 have consistently scored great new capabilities for every year on the market.

AirPods Pro 2 get better every year, and that’s happening again with iOS 18

But when the AirPods Pro 3 arrive, they will include all the modern advancements of AirPods Pro 2 and even more.

Here’s what Mark Gurman at Bloomberg says is coming:

The AirPods Pro, meanwhile, are expected to get a new design and chip in 2025, and the company is working on health features for that device tied to hearing.

New design will be a first for AirPods Pro

Let’s start with the new design.

Until now, AirPods Pro have retained their original design from 2019. So when the third-gen model debuts in 2025, it will have been six years of that same design.

Personally, I love the AirPods Pro’s current design and I’m not sure how Apple could improve it. But rumors about this fall’s AirPods 4 indicate that model is getting a new design too. So perhaps we’ll get some hints about Apple’s plans for the Pro line by looking at what it reveals for the base-model AirPods.

Supercharged by H3 chip

AirPods Pro 3 are also going to receive a new chip.

With some products, new chips don’t necessarily bring a ton of improvement. However, Apple’s H-series chips have been an exception thus far.

The move from H1 to H2 enabled Apple to offer significant upgrades to the AirPods Pro 2 over its predecessor.

Here’s how Apple explained the chip’s benefits when AirPods Pro 2 launched:

the power of the new H2 chip provides an exceptional acoustic experience and cancels up to twice as much noise over the previous generation AirPods Pro. With a new low-distortion audio driver and custom amplifier, AirPods Pro now offer richer bass and crystal-clear sound across a wider range of frequencies…The powerful H2 chip enables on-device processing, which reduces loud environmental noise [with Adaptive Transparency] — like a passing vehicle siren, construction tools, or even loud speakers at a concert.

Since then, the H2 chip has also powered the variety of new features AirPods Pro 2 has gained. Not even the premium AirPods Max have gained those features, since it only has an H1.

Because of Apple’s track record with improvements to its H-series chips, AirPods Pro 3 getting a new H3 chip is a big deal.

Health features

Beyond the new design and chip, reports on the AirPods Pro 3’s new capabilities remain uncertain.

Apple has reportedly been working on a variety of health-related features for AirPods, which could debut in the AirPods Pro 3 thanks to its new chip.

Here’s what Mark Gurman has reported about these features:

The company is working on a new hearing test feature that will play different tones and sounds to allow the AirPods to determine how well a person can hear. The idea is to help users screen for hearing issues, not unlike how the Apple Watch ECG app checks for heart problems.

[…]

Separately, Apple is exploring how it could better position AirPods as a hearing aid, a $10 billion-a-year market that’s ripe for reinvention.

[…]

There’s also engineering work being done on adding sensors to the AirPods so they can determine body temperature via a wearer’s ear canal. That type of data is considered more accurate than wrist temperature

So there are a variety of things going on here.

First, Apple is working on features related to hearing health. It’s unclear whether these would be limited to the AirPods Pro 3, or extended to other models too.

However, the hearing test feature and more hearing aid-style features could take AirPods in a fascinating new direction. Just as the Apple Watch has become a more valuable health asset over time, AirPods could follow suit.

Taking a temperature reading is another intriguing application. Apple’s current employment of the Apple Watch’s temperature readings is fairly limited—likely due to a lack of precision.

If AirPods Pro 3 can introduce more accurate temperature readings, a host of new feature possibilities could open up.

Audio quality improvements

When AirPods Pro 2 debuted, some of their biggest selling points related to audio quality.

Even though the original AirPods Pro had a strong reputation for delivering quality sound, AirPods Pro 2 upped the game.

Expect to see similar upgrades with AirPods Pro 3. The additional processing power of the H3 chip should enable an even more dialed in audio mix. Perhaps there will be other hardware changes that help with this too.

On a related note, features like Noise Cancellation and Adaptive Transparency will likely improve too. All of which contributes to a better listening experience.