Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3 - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

by

Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022 other than a shift from Lightning to USB-C, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

  1. Health Features - Earlier this year, Apple released the Powerbeats Pro 2 with heart rate monitoring, and that functionality is expected for the AirPods Pro 3 too. Temperature sensing is also a possibility. The Apple Watch can detect skin temperature, but that's not accurate for fevers. In-ear temperature readings would provide more useful data.
  2. Audio Quality Upgrade - Apple is upgrading the H-series chip that's in the AirPods, which is likely to bring improved audio quality. The AirPods Pro 2 support Lossless Audio when paired with Vision Pro thanks to a proprietary wireless audio protocol, and Apple could expand that to other devices. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ could adopt Bluetooth 5.4 for better audio latency.
  3. Better Active Noise Cancellation - The H3 chip will allow for even faster on-device processing for improved Active Noise Cancellation and better Adaptive Audio. The H2 chip in the AirPods Pro 2 actively reduces louder, intermittent noise at 48,000 times per second to cut down on environmental noise exposure, and an upgraded H-series chip could do even better.
  4. Refreshed Design - Apple is going to update the design of the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌. The AirPods 4 got a slimmed down case, a hidden capacitive pairing button, and a concealed LED, so we could see those same changes with the next AirPods Pro. The earbuds could get a design overhaul too, and upgrade possibilities include a smaller in-ear piece and a shorter stem.
  5. Updated Tracking - The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are likely to get Apple's second-generation Ultra Wide Band (UWB) chip for more precise tracking using the Find My app.

Live Translation was a feature rumored for the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌, but as it turns out, that's functionality that Apple brought to all AirPods models that are connected to an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence running iOS 26. Live Translation also works on Apple Intelligence-compatible Macs and iPads.

We're expecting to see the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ later this year, perhaps at Apple's September event where the new iPhone 17 models will be unveiled.

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: It's Out]

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
Read Full Article • 151 comments
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update — 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and...
Read Full Article • 111 comments
Apple iCloud Plus expansion hero

iCloud+ Now Includes Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Curated Apple Music Stations in Over 100 Countries

Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:43 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries. In select countries, Apple says every paid iCloud+ plan, including the cheapest 50GB tier, now includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade "at no additional cost," while family sharing extends the storage, TV and Arcade access to up to five people....
Read Full Article • 104 comments

Top Rated Comments

M
macvicta
16 months ago
The AirPods Pro are the closest thing to perfection that Apple makes. I hope they don’t change them for the sake of change. Already the “health features” look like wacky additions that will just make the product unnecessarily complicated.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I
ignatius345
16 months ago

When is the last time Apple has released anything new that is better than what it replaces and wasn't made into a higher priced tier?
MacBook Air. It's been around $999 for like 15+ years now, even in the face of inflation (which means the price has actually been plummeting). The M4 is 2x as fast as the M1, and the M1 makes the Intel ones look like dog***.

Mac Mini. It got smaller, faster and cheaper last year. Same note about the Air applies: the price has gotten lower and lower over time.

I'm sure there are others.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
bejib66000
16 months ago
Just make it black!



Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TechWhisperer Avatar
TechWhisperer
16 months ago
A shorter stem? It’s barely workable with the current version and as a woman I have relatively small hands and slim fingers. Give us longer battery life pls, at least 8 hours 💜
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Y
yossi
16 months ago
Maybe they can work on the microphone so they actuall work well on calls? my Airpod Pro 2 are unusable for calls
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Flight Plan Avatar
Flight Plan
16 months ago
It's too bad I can't wear any earbuds with any kind of silicone tips.


The one thing I could really wish for is a stronger connection to the phone. When I get out into a busy, wide open environment like my train station, the connection cuts out until I take my phone out of my pocket and bring it up to my chest. Same happens on the street. I've started thinking of it as the "street corner effect": I'll be walking along the sidewalk playing music just fine, but as soon as I hit a corner with a bunch of other people around (and, I assume, their own bluetooth signals), the APP cut out again.
I have the same problem as you when I'm working in my yard while my WIFI connection is still active. So I stop WIFI when I'm outside. My suspicion is that my WIFI stutters my podcasts in places in the front yard if I'm listening to a podcast or IHeartRadio. No problem playing music from my music library. But still; killing the WIFI connection from the phone) has worked.

So my suggestion to you is to check your WIFI when out and about, EVEN IF you don't think you're using it. Even in public places, your phone could be trying to connect to public WIFI.



I'm game as my AirPods Pro 2 are on their last leg and I would much rather replace them with an updated Pro version than the AirPods 4.
Pro 2s have legs? How fast do you have to be to keep them from getting away?


When is the last time Apple has released anything new that is better than what it replaces and wasn't made into a higher priced tier? (dont say 16gb ram Macs, we had to overpay for how many years before they gave us that one?) New AirPods with new features will be more expensive models. New AirPods with reduced features will be the lower priced option. The currently priced one will be light bumps, more features require move money because they aren't $300 yet, but they will be.
I would have rather read your actual analysis on the Airpods 3 than read your anti-Apple diatribe which may or may not have anything to do with the subject of Airpods 3.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors