Almost three years after the AirPods Pro 2 were launched, Apple fans have a new flagship true wireless to enjoy in the AirPods Pro 3.
It arrived with a number of upgrades. Some pretty predictable in improved sound and ANC, others that were expected such as Live Translation; and one feature that the AirPods have been hovering but haven’t fully delved into – health-related features.
For as long as I’ve been at Trusted Reviews, there’s always been some speculation around each AirPods launch that Apple was going to launch heart-rate monitors etc but it never came to fruition. What exactly was Apple waiting for?
Maybe it was waiting for a more powerful chip in its phones and AI to kick off, but health-related features feel like they’ve been in the docket for years and that Apple has dithered to figure out how they could bring it to their AirPods.
And now with the AirPods Pro 3 they’ve finally pushed forward. But it now feels as if Apple is stepping on Beats sporty trainers.
Apple vs Beats?
When it first launched, Beats had a reputation for big bass and loud appearance but it’s evolved over time, and it’s the Powerbeats range that’s been the mainstay of the company throughout. You think of Beats as a brand today, and it’s not defined by its big bass performance (if anything it’s now the opposite); but by the Powerbeats sports-focussed approach and its relationship with famous sports stars (and the Kardashians).
The Powerbeats line has felt as if wearing one of the headphones would offer a direct line to your favourite sportspeople. If these pro-athletes are wearing it, why can’t you reach that same level of performance, right?
But with the AirPods Pro 3 incorporating its own heart-rate sensor, a feature the Powerbeats Pro 2 introduced earlier in 2025, it does feel like it’s slightly blurring those lines between what Apple does with its headphones and what Beats does with its.
Given the slight change in design to make the AirPods fit better (I’ve seen AirPods fly out of someone’s ear at the gym), as well as the increased IP57 rating that protects the AirPods Pro 3 from sweat, water, and dust, Apple’s changes are an attempt to grab some of that ‘sports’ market. After all, if you have an AirPods that can virtually do everything a Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 can do; why would anyone bother shelling out for the Beats?
Factor in that the AirPods are by far the most popular headphones on the market and, perhaps I’m being a bit cynical here, it feels like Apple is putting a bit of a squeeze on Beats – more Vulcan nerve pinch than Death Grip – but Apple is encroaching on Beats territory.
What does that mean for Beats? I’m sure it’ll be fine in the short-term. For now Apple AirPods are more aimed towards casual fitness workouts for those who more information and knowledge about what they’re doing while Beats has more of a specialist, sports approach.
With leaks surrounding a Powerbeats Fit headphone coming soon – which basically looks like a Fit Pro sequel – it doesn’t look like Beats is going to be shifted from its current perch yet. But I can see a future where the Apple AirPods get all the cool, fitness-related features first, and Beats is left playing catch-up instead.
