Beyond the new iPhones and Apple Watches, Apple also unveiled the third generation of its premium AirPods Pro. The new model boasts a significant leap in audio performance, delivering richer bass and a wider soundstage.
Its active noise cancellation is claimed to be twice as effective as the previous model, a feat achieved through new acoustic technology and a selection of five foam ear tips. Apple confidently states this results in the best ANC of any in-ear wireless headphones. Battery life sees a notable improvement, offering up to eight hours of listening with ANC enabled – a 33% increase over the AirPods Pro 2.
The transparency mode has been refined to sound more natural, and in this setting, battery life extends to ten hours. A first for the product line is the introduction of a built-in heart rate monitor, designed to track over fifty workout types directly within the iOS Fitness app.
This enables access to Apple’s Workout Buddy feature with just an iPhone and the earbuds, which uses your personal data to provide motivational insights during exercise. Subscribers to Apple Fitness+ can view real-time metrics such as heart rate, calories burned, and activity ring progress on their iPhone screen.
The design has been overhauled for a more universal fit, informed by a study of over 10,000 ear scans and more than 100,000 hours of research. The internal architecture was re-engineered to make each bud smaller, while the external geometry was adjusted to improve stability. The earbuds now carry an IP57 rating for dust and water resistance.
A headline feature powered by Apple Intelligence is Live Translation. This allows you to converse naturally in your language while your words are translated for a conversation partner who is also wearing AirPods Pro 3. If they do not have the earbuds, you can use your iPhone as a horizontal display to show a live transcription of the conversation in both languages, with their responses translated and spoken into your ears.
It is worth noting that the Live Translation feature will also be made available on the AirPods 4 with ANC and the AirPods Pro 2 when paired with a compatible Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone running iOS 18. Initial language support includes English (both UK and US variants), French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish, with Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese (Simplified) coming later this year.
Pricing and Availability
The AirPods Pro 3 will be priced at RM999. However, the earbuds are not yet available for purchase, at the time of writing.