AirPods Pro 3 could reach customers this fall, according to a reliable source. Earlier rumors said Apple’s next-generation premium wireless earbuds might not be out until 2026.
Expect at least one new health-related feature in the new version.
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AirPods Pro 3 release date: September 2025?
Apple took wireless earbuds mainstream with the original AirPods, and it reportedly sold 66 million pairs in 2024. But keeping up that pace requires fresh iterations — AirPods Pro 2 launched in 2022, and a three-year wait means a revamp is due. But there’s a debate on exactly when that’ll happen.
On Sunday, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman predicted that AirPods Pro 3 would launch this fall. The Power On newsletter included the earbuds on a list of Apple products launching this autumn, along with the iPhone 17 series, the M5 iPad Pro, and much more.
He didn’t give a more specific launch date, but the second-gen model launched during an Apple September 2022 event alongside the new iPhone 14 models. If Gurman is correct, then the 2025 September event seems the most likely venue for AirPods Pro 3.
Not everyone agrees
But it turns out Gurman is an outlier in predictions for the AirPods Pro 3 launch date.
In June, Jeff Pu, a respected analyst with GF Securities Hong Kong, predicted the AirPods Pro 3 release date will be in 2026. In mid-May, Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with TF International Securities, said the same.
Perhaps Gurman’s prediction will turn out to be more accurate because it’s the most recent. Also, he’s built a reputation for general accuracy about upcoming Apple products based on leaks by sources inside the company.
Also, the fact that there are massive deals on AirPods Pro 2 suggests a replacement is near. There’re available at $80 off, down to just $169.
AirPods Pro 2 are a fantastic pair of earbuds for your iPhone, delivering terrific sound quality, excellent ANC, and advanced features like Personalized Spatial Audio.
- Fab sound quality
- Excellent ANC
- Hearing Health features let them double as clinical-grade hearing aids and active hearing protection
- USB-C wireless charging case
- Hard to come up with one
AirPods Pro 3 get more healthy
With even the release date still up in the air, a definitive list of AirPods Pro 3 features has not yet emerged.
Still, heart rate monitoring seems a safe bet after it appeared in Powerbeats Pro 2. Maybe extra time will help improve the feature before it goes into the AirPods version. Additional health features seem to be the direction Apple is taking its premium earbuds after AirPods Pro 2 got upgraded into hearing aids.
More of a stretch is IR cameras for controlling the earbuds with hand gestures.
