5 Minutes
Apple launches AirPods Pro 3 with major audio and health upgrades
At its flagship event, Apple introduced the AirPods Pro 3 — a generational update that focuses on noise cancellation, improved fit, on-device health sensing and real‑time translation. The new in‑ear wireless earbuds deliver a wider soundstage, deeper bass and what Apple calls the best active noise cancellation (ANC) in any in‑ear headphones. Beyond audio, the third‑gen AirPods Pro bring a built‑in heart rate monitor and Apple Intelligence‑powered Live Translation, expanding their usefulness for fitness, travel and accessibility.
Key features and technical highlights
Audio, ANC and battery life
Apple says the AirPods Pro 3 provide a noticeably fuller low end and a broader soundstage than the AirPods Pro 2. New foam ear tips, available in five sizes and refined internal acoustics, help the earbuds achieve up to twice the ANC performance compared with the previous generation. With ANC enabled, Apple quotes up to 8 hours of continuous music playback on a single charge — roughly 33% more than AirPods Pro 2. Transparency mode has also been tuned to deliver a more natural ambient sound, providing up to 10 hours of listening in that mode.
Comfort, fit and durability
The redesign is informed by over 10,000 ear scans and 100,000+ hours of user research. Each bud’s internal architecture was reengineered to shrink the enclosure while shifting the external ear tip geometry to the center of the body for improved stability. The AirPods Pro 3 carry an IP57 rating for dust and water resistance, making them more resilient for workouts and daily use.
Health and fitness integration
A headline addition is the integrated heart rate sensor. The earbuds can measure heart rate across more than 50 workout types and feed metrics to the iOS Fitness app. Even users without an Apple Watch can access Apple’s Workout Buddy feature; the system leverages historical workout data to provide personalized, motivational insight during sessions. Fitness+ subscribers benefit from live performance metrics — heart rate, calories burned, Move ring progress and the Burn Bar — displayed on their iPhone while training.
Live Translation and Apple Intelligence
AirPods Pro 3 introduce a built‑in Live Translation feature powered by Apple Intelligence. When two people both wear AirPods Pro 3, they can speak naturally and have their speech translated into the other person’s language in near real time. If a conversational partner doesn’t have compatible earbuds, the iPhone can be used as a horizontal display to show live transcription in the other person’s preferred language; their spoken replies are then translated and played back into your AirPods. Initial language support includes English (US/UK), French, German, Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish, with Italian, Japanese, Korean and Simplified Chinese coming later in the year.
Compatibility and broader availability of Live Translation
Live Translation isn’t exclusive to the AirPods Pro 3: Apple says the feature will also be available on AirPods (4th gen) with ANC and AirPods Pro 2 running the latest firmware when paired with an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence (iOS 26 and later). This broadens the practical reach of on‑device translation across Apple’s TWS lineup.
Comparisons, use cases and market relevance
How AirPods Pro 3 stack up
Compared with AirPods Pro 2, the new model focuses on improved ANC, stronger bass, better fit options and longer battery life. Against high‑end competitors like Sony and Bose, Apple’s claim of industry‑leading in‑ear ANC and the inclusion of a heart rate sensor set the AirPods Pro 3 apart by blending premium audio, health tracking and AI translation in a compact package.
Practical use cases
These earbuds aim to serve multiple user needs: commuters and remote workers will appreciate the stronger ANC and refined Transparency for clearer conversations; fitness enthusiasts can rely on heart rate monitoring and Fitness integration without needing a separate wearable; travelers and multilingual teams can use Live Translation to bridge language gaps on the fly. Accessibility features, including certified Hearing Aid support and automatic Conversation Boost in noisy environments, expand the product’s utility for users with hearing needs.
Price, pre‑orders and availability
The AirPods Pro 3 are available to pre‑order immediately at a US price of $249 and will ship beginning September 19 in the U.S. and some 50 other countries and regions.
Overall, Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 represent a strategic convergence of advanced ANC, health sensing, and on‑device AI features — a package designed to appeal to tech‑savvy listeners, fitness users and global travelers alike.
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