The Apple AirPods Pro 3 (released in September 2025) are premium in-ear wireless earbuds designed to act as an all-in-one health, fitness, and communication device for Apple users. They feature improved"world's best" Active Noise Cancellation (up to 4x better than the original Pro), integrated heart rate monitoring, advanced hearing health tools, and live translation, all powered by the H2 chip.
Key Features and Improvements
Heart Rate Monitoring: Built-in sensors in the earbuds track heart rate and calories burned during workouts, acting as a fitness tracker when paired with an iPhone.
Advanced Hearing Health: The AirPods Pro 3 function as clinical-grade hearing aids with customizable, self-administered hearing tests and automatic conversation boost.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): ANC is up to 2x more effective than the AirPods Pro 2, capable of reducing high-frequency noise like voices and keyboard clicks.
Live Translation: Powered by Apple Intelligence, these can provide real-time, in-ear translation during conversations in multiple languages.
Enhanced Durability & Fit: They feature an IP57 rating for dust, sweat, and water resistance, allowing them to withstand deeper submersion and tougher workouts. The redesigned ear tips come in five sizes (including extra-extra-small) for a more secure"foam-infused" fit.
Audio & Performance: A new, re-engineered acoustic architecture delivers deeper bass, wider soundstage, and improved voice clarity.
Technical Specifications
Chip: Apple H2 headphone chip
Battery Life: Up to 8 hours of listening time with ANC on (33% increase over Pro 2), or up to 10 hours in Transparency/Hearing Aid mode.
Charging Case: USB-C MagSafe case with a lanyard loop, built-in speaker, and updated U2 chip for more precise, long-range finding.
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3.
Controls: Touch control on stems (press to play/pause, swipe for volume) and new camera remote capabilities.
Sustainability
The AirPods Pro 3 are constructed with 40% recycled materials by weight, including 100% recycled cobalt in the battery and 65% recycled plastic in the case.
Limitations
Ecosystem Dependence: Full functionality, including health metrics, hearing tests, and translation, requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone (iPhone 16 or later) running iOS 26.
Repairability: Similar to predecessors, these are considered very difficult to repair.
No High-Res Codecs: They do not support high-resolution audio codecs like LDAC or aptX, relying on AAC and SBC.
