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Apple Was Caught Off Guard by AirPods Pro 3 Popularity

They were caught off guard that they even sold any, especially after doing 0 marketing and releasing a few other AirPods products around the same time.
 
I got a pair of them today and they fit my ears (I’m probably the one person that has generic ears that fit every single generation of AirPods released so far). I don’t think they’re a huge improvement over the AirPods Pro 2 though, the tips are just stiffer and go more inside your ear than those of the AirPods Pro 2.
 
What I find weird looking at people who wear them, is how far they stick out, vs any other airpods, pro or otherwise.

Nobody I know that has had a working set of APP2's has upgraded. There just isn't a need. One person I know that upgraded from a flaky original APP's, is not too thrilled with the 3's, with the fit and that weird noise issue they had.
 
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MacRumors said:


AirPods Pro 3 demand was so strong after the earbuds launched in September that their popularity reportedly "caught Apple off guard."

airpods-pro-3-design.jpg

"AirPods Pro 3 were supply-constrained during the quarter, and we think we would have grown year over year if we would not have been constrained," Apple CEO Tim Cook told Reuters, in a report published alongside Apple's record-breaking earnings results for the fourth quarter of the 2025 calendar year. He is referring to Apple's Wearable, Home, and Accessories category, which saw around a 2% drop in revenue year-over-year.

AirPods Pro 3 no longer have any extended delivery delays on Apple's online store, so it would appear that Apple has caught up on supply by now.

AirPods Pro 3 feature increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, longer battery life per charge, heart rate monitoring during workouts, improved fit for many users, increased water resistance, a new XXS ear tip size, and more.

Article Link: Apple Was Caught Off Guard by AirPods Pro 3 Popularity
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Still using my AirPods 4 and I love it.. Don’t see any reason to switch to the Pro 3.
 
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If they're in such high demand, why do they keep going on sale? Almost immediately after their release (<4 months ago), APP were available for $199 and, yet, the older APP2 were also $199 and sold out quickly, even the leftover Lightning versions.

Note that Apple didn't release AirPods sales figures, just glittering generalities about how much everyone loves *insert product*. Cook will say whatever he has to on those earnings calls to ensure their share price stays as high as possible in this sketchy stock market.

In other news, I just made a deal to buy 10 billion dollars of computing power from NVidia to run my new web page called "Hamsterdance 2: Freshly Waxed Dance Floor" which, analysts predict, will bring in trillions in revenue before 2030. Dan Ives of Wedbush securities is bullish on the Hamsterdance reboot and sees a resurgence of Web 1.0 pages running on the Vera Rubin platform. The blood vessels Jim Cramer's forehead agree.
 
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I love them so far, been using them for a few weeks and I haven't had any of the sound issues that others have been having thankfully. I had the PowerBeats Pro 2s for a few months as well, and I find the APP3 much better in every way and I loved the PowerBeats Pro 2. They fit far better in my ears, the other ones slipped out after a while, and I was constantly adjusting them, ANC is much better and bass is also much deeper. Even after using different tips on my PowerBeats Pro 2s that had a perfectly tight seal, the APP3 still sound much better.

If I had to make the choice again, I'd buy the APP3 without hesitation. My primary use for these is on the PC, so they get a lot of use for gaming and movie watching, and they are great. I just wish Apple would ditch the glossy plastic and offer colours, including black.
 
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I like mine.
However, perhaps if Apple executives had focused on the average Apple users rather than spending time with their AppleTV celebrities, they would have realized this.
 
Good to hear. Though I don't have the AirPods Pro 3, I am very satisfied with my AirPods 4 with ANC. Think the fit of the AirPods is most crucial while considering to upgrade.
 
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Gengar said:
I got a pair of them today and they fit my ears (I’m probably the one person that has generic ears that fit every single generation of AirPods released so far). I don’t think they’re a huge improvement over the AirPods Pro 2 though, the tips are just stiffer and go more inside your ear than those of the AirPods Pro 2.
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I think that’s the reason some people have issues with the fit. They are designed to go a little deeper into your ears to achieve the ANC improvement (better seal).
 
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I deeply regret trading in my AirPods Pro 2 for these. The Pro 2 was much more sturdy and fit better. I've considered buying another pair and getting rid of my Pro 3.
 
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If they only experienced a 2% drop, and ran out of stock, that implies they were expecting an even bigger drop in that business unit, with enough units kept on hand to meet the demand, and lower sales. Since Reuters is reporting this as a miss from expectations, I’d say it was an issue getting components from their suppliers so they could produce enough units to meet forecasted demand.
 
They're absolutely awful, sounded very muffled with no top end at all. Returned them for refund. IMHO the 2's are better sounding.
 
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