In the battle of top-tier wireless earbuds, the arrival of the Apple AirPods Pro 2 was the moment the tech giant finally climbed the mountain top. When the AirPods Pro 2 dropped last year, Apple did more than just go back to the drawing board and if it wants to stay ahead of its contemporaries, the Pro 3 earbuds need to excel an already excellent pair of headphones.
The holiday season is approaching fast, and with 2023 almost over we’ve yet to hear about the new generation of Apple AirPods. So below, we’ve gathered everything we could find about the Apple AirPods Pro 3 earbuds.
Apple AirPods Pro 3 release date and price
Based on the standard timeline of Apple’s previous AirPods releases, we can expect the AirPods Pro 3 to be released sometime within the next year or even 2025. That means the second-generation AirPods are here to stay for a little while, so sorry if you were hoping that we’d see the Pro 3’s this year.
According to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the exact timeframe will either be the latter half of 2024 or sometime in early 2025. On top of that, recent rumors from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg suggest that Apple is giving its AirPods lineup a major revamp in 2024 that would give little space for a Pro 3 release — especially with Apple’s over-the-ears Airpods Max getting a 2024 release too.
Price-wise, if Apple sticks to the plan of its previous AirPods releases, we’re looking at a price tag of about $249. It’s a pretty friendly price and matches the industry standard. However, given recent news about Apple looking to increase the price of the iPhone due to production costs, don’t be surprised if there’s a significant price increase for the Pro 3’s in the near future.
Apple AirPods Pro 3 specs and features
The anticipated Apple AirPods Pro 3 is expected to retain the iconic design of its predecessors, featuring the familiar sleek look with interchangeable ear tips and intuitive touch controls. A notable upgrade is the transition to a USB-C charging case, aligning with global standards and enhancing user convenience.
Some rumors from Android Authority and Phone Arena suggest that Apple’s innovation extends to health-focused features, potentially including mood tracking, hearing tests, and body temperature monitoring, integrating wellness into the listening experience.
Additionally, under the hood, the introduction of new H3 and U2 chips could offer advancements in sound, Active Noise Cancelling, and connectivity. Plus, the compatibility with iOS 17 would ensure seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem, maintaining features like spatial audio and automatic device switching. The belief is that the AirPods Pro 3, with these upgrades, is poised to redefine the standards of wireless earbuds. But of course, as always, until we hear it from Apple, take everything you read with a grain of salt.
