It’s almost Apple event time, and the Internet is a buzz with what could be shown. Well, we know they’ll be an iPhone or two, but will the AirPods Pro 3 make an appearance.
Most seem confident that they’ll be shown despite recent speculation suggesting they might launch in 2026. Respected supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo seems confident the AirPods Pro 3 will launch before the year is out, but should you save your money and wait for the next AirPods Pro model?
Another AirPods Pro could launch in 2026
Ahead of the Apple September event, Kuo has said that Apple plans to update the AirPods Pro in 2026, though despite the headline of this article, it won’t be the AirPods Pro 4 but a higher end version of the AirPods Pro 3.
MacRumours has collated the new tidbits about the headphones, and this model is said to feature more advanced hardware updgrades, with speculation suggesting they’ll be an infrared camera built-in that would help track in-air gestures and boost the spatial audio experience when paired with an Apple Vision Pro headset.
It does seem a bit odd for Apple to launch another product within the range so quickly, but then again, with the AirPods 4, it gave consumers a choice between a version that had ANC and enhanced audio and one without. The same thinking could apply to the AirPods Pro 3, though the launches are likely to be months apart.
Would it be worth waiting for the enhanced version? By the sounds of it, only if you have the Vision Pro.
The standard AirPods Pro 3 will have the usual upgrades
We’re pretty sure that the AirPods Pro 3 and ‘enhanced’ version will have parity in most areas, and we’re expecting the usual gain in performance that comes with another generation.
Bloomberg’s Marc Gurman has implied that it’ll come with the same heartbeart sensor that was in the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 that launched earlier in 2025, and that the charging case will be more compact.
We’d also expect improved noise-cancellation, sound, and potentially some design changes. There have been rumours over the years about the AirPods Pro series employing a new form factor (including ones without a stem). Might the AirPods Pro 3 be the first to deviate from the usual look?
We’ll find out on the 9th September if the AirPods Pro 3 are announced.
