Apple is already working on future generations of its AirPods lineup despite only recently releasing the AirPods Pro 3, according to a new report. The company focuses development efforts on transforming its popular earbuds into AI-powered devices with enhanced health tracking capabilities.
Next-gen AirPods Pro to pack H3 chip, AI tricks, new health sensors
With the well-reviewed AirPods Pro 3 recently released, Apple’s silicon team is currently developing an H3 chip designed to power the next iteration of AirPods Pro, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reported in his Power On newsletter Sunday. The new chip aims to deliver reduced latency and improved audio quality compared to the H2 chip found in AirPods Pro 3.
The most significant development may be Apple’s exploration of embedding cameras into future AirPods models. This aligns with previous reports from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who suggested that infrared cameras could enhance Spatial Audio integration with Vision Pro and enable in-air gesture controls. Apple has also filed patents describing how these cameras could function as proximity sensors, detecting whether the earbuds are in a user’s ear or resting on a surface, and potentially recognizing hand gestures.
These camera-equipped AirPods are expected to heavily leverage Apple Intelligence. But specific details about how the AI features will work remain unclear. Previous reports have indicated these models could launch sometime in 2026.
Health features expanding across the lineup
Building on the heart-rate monitoring capability introduced in AirPods Pro 3, Apple plans to add more health-tracking features to its earbuds over time, Gurman reported.
And he added the company is exploring adding a temperature reader to future models. That could potentially expand health functionality beyond just the Pro lineup.
AirPods 5 update planned
Apple is also developing AirPods 5. The new earbuds will update both the entry-level and mid-tier earbuds in the standard AirPods line. However, Gurman doesn’t expect the heart-rate sensor from AirPods Pro 3 to make its way to these models. Advanced health tracking may remain a key differentiator for the Pro series.
The timing for these releases remains uncertain. But the camera-equipped models have previously been rumored for a 2026 launch.
