Apple just dropped the AirPods Pro 3, taking the world’s most ubiquitous earbuds and pushing them into semi-serious audiophile territory. They’ve overhauled the design for a tighter in-ear fit and stability, amped up Active Noise Cancellation so it blocks roughly twice as much as the last-gen AirPods Pro—and four times more than the originals—putting pressure on Sony’s WF-1000XM5 and Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds.
New this round: heart-rate tracking and over 50 workout types baked into the iPhone Fitness app, turning your earbuds into a slightly judgmental personal trainer. Oh, and Live Translation is finally here, because apparently we still need Apple to remind us that someone in the room doesn’t speak our language.
AirPods Pro 3 are available for pre-order starting today for $249, with official availability on Friday, September 19, 2025.
“With AirPods Pro 3, the most popular headphones take a massive leap forward, providing fantastic sound quality and the world’s best ANC of any in-ear wireless headphones,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “Combined with an improved fit that provides greater stability for even more people, heart rate sensing, extended battery life, and Live Translation enabled by Apple Intelligence, AirPods Pro 3 take personal audio to the next level—so you can ignore the world in style and still translate the person who’s trying to talk to you.”
AirPods Pro 3 Aim to Deliver World’s Best In-Ear ANC, Enhanced Soundstage, and Up to 8 Hours Playback
AirPods Pro 3 use a new multiport acoustic architecture that precisely manages airflow into the ear canal, creating a more immersive spatial listening experience. The next-generation Adaptive EQ adjusts bass response on the fly, expands the soundstage so instruments are more distinct, and improves vocal clarity across music, TV shows, and calls.
The updated Transparency mode is more natural than ever, making both the user’s voice and the voices around them sound lifelike while staying connected to their environment.
Active Noise Cancellation is achieved through ultra-low noise microphones, advanced computational audio, and new foam-infused ear tips for better passive isolation. ANC is now up to twice as effective as the AirPods Pro 2 and four times more effective than the original AirPods Pro, providing a dramatically more immersive experience whether commuting, working, or relaxing at home.
Battery life also sees a boost: with ANC enabled, AirPods Pro 3 now offer up to eight hours of continuous music playback, a 33% increase over the previous generation. Performance may vary depending on device settings, environment, and other factors.
Redesigned In-Ear Fit, Five Foam Tip Sizes, and IP57 Durability
Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 are engineered for the most secure and comfortable fit yet, informed by over 10,000 ear scans and 100,000 hours of user research. The internal architecture has been completely redesigned to make each AirPod smaller, while the ear tip geometry is now centered on the body for improved stability. This design leverages a dataset of more than 300 million points to deliver a fit that works for more ears than ever before.
The new foam-infused ear tips come in five sizes, including a new XXS option, ensuring a snug seal and enhanced passive noise isolation. AirPods Pro 3 are also built for durability, with an IP57 rating for sweat and water resistance, making them suitable for intense workouts and unpredictable weather conditions.
AirPods Pro 3 Bring Heart-Rate Sensing and Personalized Workout Tracking
AirPods Pro 3 are designed for serious workouts, incorporating Apple’s smallest custom-built heart rate sensor alongside an integrated workout experience. The new photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor uses invisible infrared light pulsed 256 times per second to measure blood flow, while sensor fusion with the AirPods’ accelerometers, gyroscope, GPS, and a new on-device AI model on iPhone enables users to track up to 50 different workout types, heart rate, calories burned, and progress toward closing their Move ring.
With AirPods Pro 3 and an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, users can also access Workout Buddy—a personalized fitness experience that draws on workout data and history to provide motivational insights during sessions. Features require a nearby Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone and Bluetooth headphones, with device and Siri language set to English. Apple Intelligence is currently in beta, and availability may vary by region, language, or system requirements.
Real-Time Fitness Metrics and Burn Bar Integration
For added motivation, AirPods Pro 3 let Apple Fitness+ users view real-time performance metrics on-screen, including heart rate, calories burned, progress on the Move ring, and the Burn Bar. Heart rate tracking with AirPods Pro 3—and Powerbeats Pro 2—is available during workouts in the Fitness app on iPhone with iOS 26, iPad with iPadOS 26, and Apple TV with tvOS 26 when paired with an iPhone or Apple Watch.
The Burn Bar feature appears in Fitness+ HIIT, Cycling, Kickboxing, Treadmill, and Rowing workouts, giving users instant feedback on how they stack up against previous sessions or other participants. Apple Fitness+ requires a subscription, and feature availability may vary by region and device.
AirPods Pro 3 Bring Live Translation for Hands-Free Multilingual Conversations
AirPods Pro 3 introduce Live Translation, enabling in-person conversations across select languages, currently in beta. Powered by computational audio and Apple Intelligence, the feature allows users to speak naturally while AirPods translate in real time—useful for travel, work, school, or catching up with friends who don’t speak your language.
If the other person doesn’t have compatible AirPods, iPhone can act as a horizontal display, showing live transcription of your speech in their preferred language while translating their replies into yours. For longer conversations, both users wearing AirPods with Live Translation enabled get a smoother experience, as ANC lowers background noise so the translation is easier to follow.
Live Translation on AirPods works with AirPods 4 (with ANC) and AirPods Pro 2 or later running the latest firmware, paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone on iOS 26 or later. Supported languages include English (U.S., UK), French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain), with Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese coming later this year. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages—so if you were hoping for Hebrew or Arabic, you might want to pack your own Rosetta Stone.
AirPods Pro 3 Enhance Hearing Health and Extend Battery Life
Apple continues its focus on hearing health with AirPods Pro 3, building on the end-to-end hearing health experience first introduced last year. AirPods Pro 3 help minimize exposure to loud environmental noise, and Hearing Protection is now available for users in the EU and UK following regional certification.
The scientifically validated Hearing Test has already helped millions assess their hearing from home. With improved ANC blocking even more background noise, taking the Hearing Test with AirPods Pro 3 is easier and more accurate than ever. For Hearing Aid users in noisy environments, Conversation Boost is now automatic, providing amplification while reducing background noise.
Battery life also sees a significant increase: AirPods Pro 3 deliver up to 10 hours in Transparency mode—a 67% improvement over the previous generation. Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are supported on AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 with the latest firmware, paired with a compatible iPhone, iPad (iOS 26/iPadOS 26 or later), or Mac (macOS Tahoe for Hearing Aid). Hearing Test is intended for individuals 18 years and older and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Availability of features may vary by region and language.
Go Green Without Skipping a Beat
Apple’s 2030 plan is about being carbon neutral across the board, and AirPods Pro 3 are quietly doing their part. They pack 40% recycled content—100% recycled cobalt in the battery, 65% recycled plastic in the case—while production runs on 40% renewable electricity from wind and solar.
Built to last and meet Apple’s strict energy and safety standards, these earbuds won’t just survive your gym sessions—they’re designed to survive the planet’s ups and downs too. Even the packaging is 100% fiber-based and fully recyclable, so at least your trash won’t hate you.
The Bottom Line
AirPods Pro 3 are less about redefining sound and more about refining the full AirPods experience. Apple has doubled down on the features that matter to most users: ANC that blocks twice as much noise as the previous generation, real-time Live Translation, advanced heart-rate tracking with Workout Buddy, and significantly longer battery life—up to eight hours of music with ANC and ten in Transparency mode.
Sound quality is improved thanks to the multiport acoustic architecture and next-gen Adaptive EQ, which widens the soundstage, tightens bass response, and clarifies vocals, but it’s still AirPods sound: clean, convenient, and more precise than before—but not quite at the level of high-end competitors in raw sonic fidelity. The real story is how much more functional these earbuds have become.
Apple will sell millions, and Bose and Sony will have to respond—not just with ANC, but with an actual leap in sound quality to keep pace. For most users, AirPods Pro 3 deliver a meaningful upgrade: smarter, more capable, and more durable earbuds that quietly set the bar for everyone else.
Where to buy: $249 at Apple
Note: The Apple AirPods 3 (not the Pro model) were released in 2021, and when searching for the new model it’s easy to be confused. Also, the AirPods 4 (also not a Pro model) were released in 2024. The biggest difference is the non-Pro models do not use interchangeable ear tips. They just rest in your ear, so the fit will allow more outside noises in, but can be more comfortable to some.
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Anton
September 9, 2025 at 7:25 pm
Very thorough explanation but I still refuse to buy their earbuds. The Live Translation feature is interesting because you will be able to translate other conversations unless I’m not understanding this correctly.
I’m sure with firmware updates, it will work with dozens of different languages.