It’s coming up to two years since the release of the Apple AirPods Pro 2, which earned high acclaim amongst fans and experts alike as one of the leading in-ear buds on the market at the time – pipping the likes of Sony and Bose.
Now anticipation is building for what Apple has in store for its third-generation AirPods Pro, with plenty of rumors and leaks doing the rounds already.
AirPods Pro 3: What we know so far and rumors
Design
The first two generations of the Apple AirPods Pro were almost indistinguishable externally, with them only being separated by distinct differences internally.
But that could be about to change if a 2023 report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is to be believed. Gurman reported last year that the AirPods Pro 3 are “expected to get a new design.”
We’re yet to get any more information for what that means exactly, but it sounds like Apple wants to continue to ensure the AirPods and AirPods Pro are clearly distinguishable. That’s because the third-generation Apple AirPods launched in 2021 with a new design that was very similar to the AirPods Pro, ditching the famous long stem for a shorter, more compact in-ear design.
It’s also unclear whether that applies to both the earbuds and USB-C charging case, or whether only one of the two will get a redesign.
Hardware and Specs
The Apple AirPods Pro 2 use the H2 chip but it’s expected the AirPods Pro 3 will come equipped with a faster, more powerful chipset – probably the H3 chip.
The H2 chip powers Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), adaptive EQ, Siri functionality and fast switching.
The H3 chip will likely do all of that plus allow more power for additional features Apple is planning to bring to the third-generation AirPods Pro.
One of those features, according to Gurman, via MacRumors, could be health-related. The tech journalist suggests Apple is working on a hearing test feature, as well as developing sensors for measuring body temperature, which is said to be more accurate than the latest Apple Watch and Apple Watch Ultra models.
From an audio quality standpoint, we should expect further improvements to ANC and lossless audio, which Apple continues to improve with every new release of the AirPods Pro.
Battery Life
There isn’t much on the grapevine regarding any significant improvements to the AirPods Pro 3’s battery life.
The AirPods Pro 2 currently offers up to 30 hours of listening time and 24 hours of talk time on a single charge when used with the charging case.
The earbuds themselves offer up to six hours of standalone listening time. With Spatial Audio and Head Tracking enabled, that drops to around 5.5 hours.
That might change but it isn’t currently among many people’s wish list of new and improved AirPods Pro features ahead of the third-generation’s launch.
What is the AirPods Pro 3 release date?
Apple Insider Ming-Chi Kuo believes we could see the AirPods Pro 3 in late 2024 or early 2025, while Gurman is suggesting a late 2025 release.
Given Apple released an updated AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C charging just last year, many believe a 2025 release is more likely at this stage.
There were three years between the AirPods Pro (October 2019) and AirPods Pro 2 (September 2022) so, if Apple plans to continue with that release cycle, late 2025 is the most obvious release date for now.
How much will the AirPods Pro 3 cost?
The previous two generations of the AirPods Pro launched at $249 and there is currently no indication that the AirPods 3 will be priced any differently.
However, there is a possibility of a price increase depending on the how significant the upgrades are and, of course, the cost of materials.
However, at this stage, there is nothing to indicate a change in pricing strategy for the third-generation AirPods Pro.
AirPods Pro 3: five features we want
Better Android support
The AirPods Pro come with various iOS-only features, such as Find My and head-tracking spacial audio.
While it does make sense for Apple to keep some features with the Apple ecosystem, further cross-platform support arguably opens up the possibility for Apple to gain more market share in the smart earbuds space.
ANC Flexibility and Improvements
The Adaptive Transparency feature that debuted on the AirPods Pro 2 was a welcome upgrade that reduces loud, harsh or high-pitch external noises.
But a further upgrade would be to give users more flexibility with noise-canceling settings, allowing for a more customizable experience depending on one’s hearing wants and needs.
Adaptive Audio already acts as a hybrid between transparency mode and full ANC, and it works well, but everyone’s ears are different, so it would be good for Apple to acknowledge this by offering customizable settings for further ANC precision.
Meanwhile, AirPods Pro ANC has fallen behind competitors since launch, with recent Bose and Sony earbuds offering far better top-of-the-range ANC functionality. Apple will need to match them here.
Sound Quality Improvements
The AirPods Pro 2 already come with high-end sound quality but both Sony and Bose have since surpassed Apple in this category since the Pro 2’s original launch.
An upgraded chip and processor will obviously help with this but Apple needs to really make significant upgrades here if they’re to remain one of the market leaders in the smart earbud market.
Improved Battery Life
While the existing 30 hours of battery life with the USB-C charging case and six hours of listening time with a single charge is impressive, it isn’t market-leading. Sony’s WF-1000XM5 offers eight hours of single-charge listening time.
If Apple can match Sony with eight hours but keep it to 30 hours of overall listening time with the charging case, that would be a very welcome upgrade.
Not many will need more than 30 hours of power, but users who, for example, often travel on long-haul flights might find an eight-hour single-use charge as attractive, which would prevent them from having to spend some time of their travels charging their AirPods in the case.
More colors
This one’s more of a fantasy than a necessary want, but isn’t it time Apple followed suit with its AirPods Max range by offering the AirPods Pro in a variety of colors?
Yes, the AirPods and AirPods Pro have always come in Apple’s iconic white casing, which makes them stand out, but even just the option of a black version would be a nice touch. I’ve always loved the white but I’ve also always loved the look of any tech that comes in black. I think it looks smarter.
It’s incredibly unlikely but I dream that one day it becomes a reality. After all, as Steve Jobs once said: “If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking.”
Featured Image: Photo by Omid Armin on Unsplash
