At its “Awe-dropping” event on Tuesday, Apple unveiled the third-generation AirPods Pro, marking the first major refresh in three years. Priced at $249, the earbuds are available for preorder now and will hit stores on September 19.
The AirPods Pro 3 introduce a built-in heart-rate sensor, a first for Apple’s earbuds, using LED technology to deliver fitness data directly to the Apple Fitness app. Noise cancellation has also been significantly upgraded, with Apple claiming the new model removes twice as much noise as the Pro 2.
Another headline feature is live translation, powered by iOS 26. Users will be able to have real-time multilingual conversations, with one language played through the iPhone and the other through the AirPods.
Comfort also gets an upgrade: Apple now offers five sizes of foam ear tips, which it calls its “best-fitting AirPods.” The charging case is smaller and more interactive, rounding out the design improvements.
Rumors suggest Apple is also preparing a second version of the AirPods Pro 3, expected to launch in 2026. That higher-end variant may include an infrared camera for hand-gesture controls and enhanced spatial audio optimized for the Vision Pro headset.
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For now, the AirPods Pro 3 bring Apple’s earbuds deeper into the worlds of health tracking, communication, and immersive audio.
