Apple has released the AirPods Pro 3 alongside the iPhone 17 series and new Apple Watch models. While the company describes the new headphones as a “significant upgrade,” the differences from the previous AirPods Pro 2 warrant careful consideration.
AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2
The new AirPods Pro 3 come with significant improvements in audio performance. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) cancels out twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2 and four times more than the original AirPods Pro. Apple describes this feature as “the world’s best active noise cancellation.” The earbuds’ internal design has also been revamped.
A new multi-port acoustic architecture controls the airflow that carries sound to the ear, improving bass response, expanding the soundstage, and enhancing vocal clarity even at higher frequencies in music, TV shows, or calls. Transparency mode also provides a more personalized experience, allowing the user to hear their own voice and the voices of their conversation partners more naturally.
While the AirPods Pro 3 is similar in design to the AirPods Pro 2, it’s smaller. The earbuds now come with five eartips instead of four. The new XXS size is designed to accommodate smaller ears. Furthermore, the eartips’ foam padding ensures a more secure fit.
One of the AirPods Pro 3’s biggest innovations is its health sensors. The earbuds are equipped with a sensor that tracks heart rate during workouts without needing an Apple Watch. This sensor emits infrared light 256 times per second to measure light absorption in blood flow.
The device’s accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS, and iPhone AI, combined with the iPhone’s AI model, allow users to launch over 50 different workouts and track their heart rate and calorie burn. In line with this fitness focus, the headphones’ durability has also increased. The AirPods Pro 3 are IP57 dust, sweat, and water resistant, compared to the AirPods Pro 2’s IP54 rating.
Battery life is a mixed bag. The AirPods Pro 3 offer 8 hours of listening time on a single charge with ANC on (compared to 6 hours for the AirPods Pro 2), but this goes up to 10 hours in Transparent mode. However, total listening time with the charging case is limited to 24 hours, which is shorter than the 30 hours offered by the AirPods Pro 2 with the case.
The new headphones’ charging case features the U2 chip, making it easier to find a lost device. Additionally, Apple’s AI-based Live Translation feature, which Apple highlighted in the launch, is also coming to AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2. This feature is available on iPhone 15 Pro and later devices.
Apple removed the AirPods Pro 2 from its official app store with the launch of the AirPods Pro 3. The new model doesn’t offer any radical innovations other than improved audio features, a better fit, and a heart rate sensor.
