The AirPods Pro 3 are set to launch later this year. Although Apple continues to enhance the AirPods Pro 2 with additional software capabilities, a new hardware version is expected soon. Anticipated to debut in September alongside the iPhone 17 series, here are three exciting features we can’t wait to see.
Revolutionary H3 Chip
Mark Gurman from Bloomberg has indicated that the AirPods Pro 3 will feature a completely new H3 chip.
In certain cases, Apple’s new chips yield only incremental upgrades, as seen with the M-series in Macs and iPads, A-series chips in iPhones, and the S-class chips for the Apple Watch.
However, upgrades to the AirPods’ H-series chips have historically provided substantial enhancements.
This is likely due to the extended intervals between chip releases. The H1 chip in the AirPods Pro lasted three years before the H2 chip was launched with the AirPods Pro 2, and now, as we await the H3 chip, it will mark another three-year gap.
When AirPods Pro 2 were unveiled, Apple described the H2 chip’s capabilities as follows:
The enhanced power of the new H2 chip delivers an extraordinary acoustic experience while cancelling up to twice as much noise compared to the previous generation. With a low-distortion audio driver and custom amplifier, AirPods Pro now provide deeper bass and clearer sound across a broader frequency range… The robust H2 chip supports on-device processing, which significantly dampens disruptive environmental sounds [via Adaptive Transparency] — for instance, the siren of an emergency vehicle, construction noise, or loudspeakers at live events.
The advancements introduced by the H2 chip have resulted in numerous features over the past few years, and the H3 chip is expected to bring its own suite of enhancements upon release.
Personally, I am hoping for extended battery life.
Redesigned AirPods Pro 3
Gurman has also mentioned that the AirPods Pro 3 will feature ‘a new design.’
Unfortunately, detailed information about the redesign is limited for now.
I don’t anticipate major changes, as the current design of AirPods Pro has generally received positive feedback and has even influenced the redesign of AirPods 4.
However, we may expect slight alterations to the size of the stem or overall fit in the ear.
Enhanced Noise Cancellation Feature
One of the standout features of the AirPods Pro 2, in my opinion, was its enhanced Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology.
Reports suggest that Apple is planning to incorporate similar advancements into the next generation of AirPods Pro.
The ANC feature in the AirPods Pro 3 is expected to be significantly improved over the existing system, likely leveraging the new capabilities of the H3 chip.
Wildcard: New Health Feature(s)
This feature is a wildcard as there’s less certainty surrounding it, but Gurman recently mentioned that several health features are being developed for future AirPods:
- Heart rate monitoring, similar to what the Apple Watch provides.
- Temperature sensing capabilities.
- Additional sensors that enable a range of physiological measurements.
Among these, Gurman believes that heart rate monitoring is likely to be included with the AirPods Pro 3.
This is not surprising, considering that the Powerbeats Pro 2 was recently released with this feature, and Apple owns the Beats brand.
Apple introduced initial health functionalities for AirPods Pro 2 in iOS 18.1, but it seems there’s much more to come.
Recap of AirPods Pro 3 Features
The AirPods Pro 2 are among Apple’s finest products, and the three-year wait between updates only heightens anticipation for their successor. While I’m pleased with my AirPods Pro 2, I have no doubt the AirPods Pro 3 will be an immediate purchase for me.
What features are you hoping to see in the AirPods Pro 3? Share your thoughts in the comments.
