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Apple users and industry experts are getting ready for the expected Apple AirPods Pro 3. Apple’s wearables division — already outselling iPads and Macs — is planning its next refresh.
Those who were hoping to see the AirPods Pro 3 at the iPhone 16 launch on September 9, 2024, were left disappointed, making do with the AirPods 4 and a refresh of the AirPods Max.
But fear not — Apple AirPods Pro Gen 3 is still on the roadmap and will come with an updated chip, improvements to hearing aids, and even a temperature sensor to detect the wearer’s health. And if you like noise-canceling, we have good news for you.
So join us as we explore what audio delights Apple is planning next.
What Are AirPods Pro 3?
The AirPods Pro 3 are Apple’s upcoming third-generation premium wireless earbuds, building on the success of the previous AirPods Pro models.
We expect the pods to arrive with upgrades such as enhanced active noise cancellation, an updated H3 chip, and new health-focused functionalities like body temperature monitoring — and keeping the classic design that kicked off a brand-new tech sector.
Are AirPods Pro 3 Coming Out?
Yes, AirPods Pro 3 will arrive in time, but color us disappointed to not see them in 2024.
When Will AirPods Pro 3 Come Out?
Expected Release Date: September 2025
We are going to hold out hope for a sneaky release in Q1 2025, but as Apple’s previous releases follow a pattern of 35 months between Pro generations, the most likely AirPods Pro 3 release date is September 2025.
While known Apple analyst Mark Gurman also agrees on 2025, Twitter leaker Kosutami keeps hope alive of an earlier date:
Soon
— Kosutami (@Kosutami_Ito) August 27, 2024
AirPods Pro 3 Features
AirPods Pro 3 will be packed with new additions, according to Bloomberg correspondent Mark Gurman. A highlight of this rumored upgrade is an updated H3 chip, which is expected to support many new functions.
New Sleek Look?
Existing Apple AirPods Pros are not easily distinguishable from each other externally, so AirPod Pro 3 may likely be similar to Pro 1 and Pro 2.
However, speculation suggests that Apple will try to make the AirPods Pro 3 case and earbuds more sleek, while retaining the same rounded-square plastic case with LED on the front, a speaker on the bottom, and a lanyard loop on the side.
The same applies to the earbuds itself — a small white plastic with some black and metallic elements. As for the color, Apple has only ever released its earbuds in white, and we expect it to continue with the AirPods Pro 3.
Updated Chip
If the current second-generation AirPods Pro chips are further updated, then it will boost performance in AirPods Pro 3 for features like improved Active Noise Cancelation (ANC), which Apple incorporated last year in their AirPods Pro 2nd generation models following a perceived disappointment in sales of non-ANC AirPods 3.
The new AirPods Pro is coming—perform with Digital ANC that much better than previous version.
— Kosutami (@Kosutami_Ito) August 27, 2024
As each year goes by, new Bluetooth codes are introduced, and Apple could also go further in supporting Android devices — add these to our wishlist of improved features.
Body Temperature Monitoring
Bloomberg’s Gurman also suggests body temperature monitoring. The Pro 3 earbuds will be able to check your body temperature via your ear canals and feed it back into Apple’s health suite apps.
Ear canal temperature checks are considered more reliable than wrist temperature checks, giving Airpods an advantage over similar health and fitness wearables.
USB-C Charging Port
This feature has already appeared in the AirPods Pro 2 charging port since it was upgraded in September 2023, and Apple will continue with the design in their AirPods Pro 3 and ditch the lightning charging port found on AirPods 3.
Apple analyst Gurman, in his leak, highlighted the inclusion of a universal USB-C charging port for AirPods Pro 3, given that the European Union has already declared that all companies must use the common USB-C charging port standard for corresponding devices by the end of 2024.
We would like to see extra battery life along with USB-C charging, but little information is available about what we might expect.
AirPods 3 vs AirPods 2
| Specs & Features | AirPods Pro 2 | AirPods Pro 3 (Expected) |
|---|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelation (ANC) | ✅ | ✅, with chip improvements |
| USB-C Charging Port | ✅ | ✅ |
| Colors | White | White |
| Water Resistance Build | IPX4 | Likely IPX4 with the possibility of including dust resistance IP54 |
| Body Temperature Monitoring | ❌ | Expected |
| Chip | H2 chip, U1 chip in charging case | Possibly a new updated H3 chip |
| Pricing | $249 | Expected: $249 or higher |
AirPods Pro 3 Price
Estimated Price: $249
AirPods Pro 3 will likely maintain the Apple debut price point for AirPods Pro, which is $249. Both AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro 2 were released at this price back in October 2019 and September 2022, respectively.
There is a possibility of another price point, especially if the new AirPods Pro 3 boosts significant upgrades that are not available in other generations.
The Bottom Line
In Q4 of 2023, Apple reported sales for the Mac ranged from $7.61 billion to $6.44 billion, with the iPad accounting for $9.32 billion and wearables accounting for $9.32 billion.
So, you can expect Apple to focus on the wearables range, particularly AirPods and the Apple Watch.
However, Apple’s plans can change anytime, and there may be additions or removals to the speculated features, price, and even launch date.
For now, we wait and see how things unfold.
