Two Versions of AirPods Pro 3 Coming With These Differences

[MacRumors]

Apple is preparing to launch two versions of the AirPods Pro 3 over 2025 and 2026, according to a Weibo leaker.

Yesterday, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to debut the AirPods Pro 3 this year. They could arrive as soon as this week at Apple's "Awe dropping" event.

Crucially, Kuo added that Apple is planning to introduce a successor to this year's AirPods Pro in 2026. This would be somewhat unusual since Apple normally waits around three years to make major changes to the AirPods' hardware. AirPods Pro 2 debuted at the iPhone 14 event in September 2022, and they were updated with a USB-C charging case and a few other tweaks in September 2023. Otherwise, Apple has waited about three years to update all of its AirPods models.

Kuo said that the 2026 AirPods Pro will feature a "more significant" hardware upgrade in the form at least one tiny infrared camera. He previously said AirPods with infrared cameras could recognize hand gestures and provide an enhanced spatial audio experience with Apple's Vision Pro headset.

Now, the Chinese leaker known as "Instant Digital" has corroborated the rumor with some additional details and clarifications. Rather than being a new generation, the 2026 AirPods Pro will be a high-end variant of the AirPods Pro 3 introduced this year, suggesting that both models will ultimately be on sale alongside each other. It is worth noting that Apple offers two version of the AirPods 4 at $129 and $179 price points.

As Kuo first said, Instant Digital similarly believes that the key differentiator will be an infrared camera for gesture controls. In fact, Apple may remove the high-end model's pressure-sensors and go all-in on gesture controls. The cost for customers is expected to exceed the current AirPods Pro's full retail price of $249.

All signs point towards Apple unveiling the AirPods Pro 3 during its iPhone 17 event on Tuesday, September 9. The AirPods Pro 3 will likely have the same heart rate monitoring feature that Apple first introduced on the Powerbeats Pro 2 earlier this year, along with a smaller charging case, improved sound and active noise cancellation, and more.









Article Link: Two Versions of AirPods Pro 3 Coming With These Differences

 

[diego.caraballo]

Welcome, AirPods Pro Ultra

 

[tyranne201]

i don't think Apple Watch will have a new sensor this year (still no confirmation) + AirPods Pro will be a minor upgrade.

the AirPods sensor will be useless for apple watch owners btw, not buying it.

 

[ctg7w6]

I wanted to get these as soon as I heard they were coming out. But I do not want to buy them if an upgraded model is coming out a few months later. What the hell.

 

[Qountdown]

i don't think Apple Watch will have a new sensor this year (still no confirmation) + AirPods Pro will be a minor upgrade.

the AirPods sensor will be useless for apple watch owners btw, not buying it.

What has this got to do with the article in question?

 

[orbital~debris]

"This is getting out of hand. Now there are two of them!"

 

[Loud_Texan]

Just like the AirPods 4, a cheaper useless version just so they can say “starting at”.

Just like a car without air conditioning. It’s not like a car without wheels, but you can’t imagine without (air conditioning).

 

[BelgianChoklit]

One with honey, one without.

 

[contacos]

AirPod Pro Ultra? Sounds about Cook.

 

[MacMediaNet]

Will they be better than Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen.)?

 

[QuarterSwede]

AirPod Pro Ultra? Sounds about Cook.

AirPods Pro Ultra. Ugh.

 

[Apleeseed84]

I just want to listen to music not wave my hands and change the song when I’m dancing. They should focus on internal upgrades 🤷

 

[GDF]

I don’t buy it that another model comes out next year if one comes out tomorrow. Not something Apple traditionally does with AirPod Pro’s.

 

[cdsapplefan]

Welcome, AirPods Pro Ultra

For $399, signed Tim Cook 👩‍🍳 😉 🎧

 

[jyw104]

If there’s a more expensive version with gesture-only controls, it’s a pass from me.

I like physical controls, the current ones work just fine.

 

[Happy_John]

At this point, we'll probably know in a little over 24 hours, so new rumours shouldn't be taken too seriously.

 

[tyrnnsrs]

So you would use gestures to do things like play/stop or adjust the volume? I can't imagine wanting to do that over just using a control on the airpod like there is now. Maybe I am judging it a bit early but this seems like a solution in search of a problem.

 

[diego.caraballo]

If there’s a more expensive version with gesture-only controls, it’s a pass from me.

I like physical controls, the current ones work just fine.

Agree.
Seems another Apple product never tested in a real life environment.
Could they asure, that somebody else moving their hands next to my head (as in the subway), wouldn't skip a song or hang a call?
How much battery life is lost due to real-time sensing of the "camera" signals and interpretation?

Old Apple was about make things simple, new Apple is about to introduce as many's SKU as possible.

 

[Darrensk8]

Will they be better than Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen.)?

Unlikely but let’s hope

 

[klasma]

Rather than being a new generation, the 2026 ‌AirPods Pro‌ will be a high-end variant of the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ introduced this year, suggesting that both models will ultimately be on sale alongside each other.

AirPods Pro Max?

 

[Happy_John]

So you would use gestures to do things like play/stop or adjust the volume? I can't imagine wanting to do that over just using a control on the airpod like there is now. Maybe I am judging it a bit early but this seems like a solution in search of a problem.

If the rumor is real (and I think this will happen sooner or later, by maybe not for tomorrow), I'd guess some to the thinking behind this is to use and exploit the R&D already done for Vision Pro. Because of Vision Pro, "gesture controls" are going to appear on as many Apple devices as possible, because they've already spent the money to develop the feature.

The only "useful" use I can see this having for me at this stage is to be able to "swipe" right and left to ski to next track or previous track when listening to music / podcasts while out walking / running. I have my phone but it's in my pocket, and I use my watch as a remote control.

This might be handy, but, for me at least, it wouldn't justify an extra $30-50 added to the price.

The annoyance with the AirPods4 vs AirPods4 ANC was that, even if you didn't care about ANC, the case on the base model doesn't support wireless charging. So I imagine Apple sold a hell of a lot more units of AirPods 4 with ANC than Airpods 4 without.

 

[jdavid_rp]

I don’t understand the infrared cameras for the spatial sound, doesn’t AirPods already manage spatial sound? also your head and ears always point to the same direction so it’s not like the Vision Pro and the AirPods will be focusing on different things.

The cool thing would be that Airpods are synced to your eye direction so they make louder the thing your looking at (both in VR and AR), but that’s a thing that the speakers form the Vision Pro could too too.

 

[nonns]

AirPods Pro Ultra. Ugh.

You’ll be able to have a appu (better pronounce as a pooh) in your ear and walk around in public talking to yourself and seemingly twitching as you adjust appu settings by gesturing.

 

[xxFoxtail]

Hoping for a different kind of rubber membrane (not sure what it's called). I’m allergic to the current kind. Would be nice to not have itchy ears. Not holding my breath for that though.

 

[UltimaKilo]

I’m going to guess that it will be quite a few years before we see AirPods 5.