AirPods Pro 3: Three new features are coming this year

AirPods Pro 3 are coming later this year. Despite Apple continuing to make AirPods Pro 2 better with new software features, there’s still a hardware successor on the way soon. AirPods Pro 3 are expected to arrive in September alongside the iPhone 17 line, here are three new features we’re looking forward to.

Brand new H3 chip

According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, AirPods Pro 3 will come with a brand new H3 chip.

Sometimes a new Apple chip only offers modest improvements. We’ve seen this with the M-series chips in Macs and iPads, A-series chips in iPhones, and even the Apple Watch’s S-class chips.

But so far with the AirPods’ H-series chips, upgrades have been big.

No doubt this is due to the extended development time between updates. AirPods Pro’s H1 chip stuck around for three years before AirPods Pro 2 introduced the H2. And now, when AirPods Pro 3 arrive it will have been another three year wait for the H3 chip.

Here’s how Apple explained the H2’s capabilities when AirPods Pro 2 debuted:

the power of the new H2 chip provides an exceptional acoustic experience and cancels up to twice as much noise over the previous generation AirPods Pro. With a new low-distortion audio driver and custom amplifier, AirPods Pro now offer richer bass and crystal-clear sound across a wider range of frequencies…The powerful H2 chip enables on-device processing, which reduces loud environmental noise [with Adaptive Transparency] — like a passing vehicle siren, construction tools, or even loud speakers at a concert.

We’ve also seen the H2 power several new feature updates over the past couple years, so the H3 will no doubt unlock plenty of its own new features when it arrives.

My personal hope: improved battery life.

New AirPods Pro 3 design

Gurman also reports that AirPods Pro 3 are getting ‘a new design.’

That’s unfortunately all of the info we have right now on the redesign.

I wouldn’t expect significant changes, since AirPods Pro’s design has generally been a big hit, and even inspired the redesigned AirPods 4.

However, some small changes to the stem size perhaps, or fit in the ear, could be in store.

Upgraded noise cancellation feature

One of AirPods Pro 2’s biggest selling points, at least for me, was its improved Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature.

Apple, according to at least one report, is planning to bring similar upgrades to its next AirPods Pro model.

AirPods Pro 3’s new ANC will reportedly be ‘much better’ than the existing feature, no doubt powered by the new capabilities of the H3 chip.

Wildcard: New health feature(s)

I include this as a wildcard bonus because there’s less certainty around it, but Gurman recently reported that three or more health features were in the works for future AirPods models:

• heart rate monitoring, similar to what the Apple Watch offers
• temperature sensing
• plus new sensors that would enable ‘a slew of physiological measures’

Out of this list, Gurman believes heart rate monitoring should be ready to ship with AirPods Pro 3.

However, due to the extra caution, care, and even regulatory approvals that tend to accompany health features, it could potentially be delayed.

Apple recently shipped its first big health features for AirPods Pro 2 in iOS 18.1, but it sounds like much more is on the way.

AirPods Pro 3 features: wrap-up

AirPods Pro 2 are one of Apple’s best products, and the three years between updates only serves to build anticipation for their successor. As content as I am with my AirPods Pro 2, there’s no doubt AirPods Pro 3 will be an instant purchase for me.

What features do you hope to see in AirPods Pro 3? Let us know in the comments.

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