Apple's AirPods Pro 3 rumored to offer even better noise cancellation
A new rumor suggests that the next AirPods Pro could block out more noise than ever, which sounds really impressive
🎧 Apple will reportedly be giving the AirPods Pro 3 better noise cancellation
👂 The Cupertino company already has solid ANC on the current AirPods Pro
⚡ It’s unclear how powerful the new tech could be
🎶 We’re also expect upgraded AirPods 4 and new AirPods Max this year
The AirPods Pro 3 are coming, and it’ll be music to the ears of Apple fans if today’s leak is true.
Apple will reportedly give its AirPods Pro 3rd gen earbuds the ability to block out more noise than ever, according to known leaker Kosutami on X. This could result in an overall better listening experience.
The new AirPods Pro could arrive soon, too. Apple’s iPhone 16 launch event is scheduled for Monday, September 9, and the company’s new phones won’t be alone, according to several Apple Watch and AirPods leaks.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about new AirPods for 2024. Previous reports indicate that Apple is getting ready to announce a fourth generation of its standard AirPods, complete with an updated design, better performance, and longer battery life. We may also see a new pair of AirPods Max with USB-C.
AirPods Pro 3 noise cancellation rumor
👂 ‘Much better.’ According to Kosutami, the active noise cancellation on the AirPods Pro 3 will be “much better” than what’s available on the second-generation AirPods Pro. As a proud second-gen AirPods Pro user, I must admit that the ANC is really good, so I’m curious what the leaker means by “much better.”
There’s only so much you can do with earbuds to improve their ANC. You can try to redesign them so they conform to your ear canal better and create a deeper seal, you can mess around with the algorithm for silencing external noise, and you can improve the microphone quality so the earbuds have a better idea of what to silence. So far, though, we don’t know what “much better” will translate to.
📅 Coming ‘soon.’ Kosutami says the new AirPods Pro are coming “soon,” which could literally mean anything. Maybe that’s by the end of the year, maybe that’s within the next year. Mark Gurman at Bloomberg previously shared that he expects the new Pros to ship sometime in 2025 with a new health sensor, an upgraded processor, and more. We’ll have to wait this one out to see who proves to be accurate.
🎶 Plenty of other AirPods to get hyped about. We might need to wait a while for Apple’s third-generation AirPods Pro, but in the meantime, we’ll have plenty of other AirPods to play with. That includes the fourth-generation AirPods, which are expected to arrive before the end of the year. Rumor has it that they’ll include an updated design so they’re more comfortable in your ears, an H2 chip for improved acoustic performance, and Bluetooth 5.3 for better connectivity with your devices. They’ll also reportedly offer longer battery life, USB-C, and compatibility with Apple Watch chargers (just like the AirPods Pro).
Meanwhile, the AirPods Max are said to get an update this year, too. The only solid rumor we’ve heard thus far is that they’ll get USB-C. The design, sound quality, and battery life are expected to remain similar, which is a shame given the rise in popularity of lighter rival over-the-ear headphones like the Sonos Ace, which got a perfect score in our review.
It’s unclear whether Apple will announce any new AirPods at its event in September, but if they do, count on The Shortcut to bring you updates as they happen.