iOS 26 and its counterparts were announced at this year’s WWDC keynote, and beta versions of the operating systems have already been made available to those enrolled in the Apple Developer Program. Through this beta, it has been discovered that the iPhone maker is working on the AirPods Pro 3, which might be released in the near future.
According to MacRumors, code in iOS 26 mentions the as-of-yet unannounced AirPods Pro 3 alongside the AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro 2. Apparently, the reference can be found in a headphone-related UI framework, which suggests that the company is preparing to launch the product soon.
This is also not the first time Apple has hinted at the existence of the AirPods Pro 3. Previously, a software release contained a string of code with the phrase “AirPods Pro 2 or later”. Obviously, the AirPods Pro 2 is the latest iteration of the earbuds at the moment, so the “later” can only refer to an upcoming new model.
Rumour has it that Apple will release the AirPods Pro 3 in autumn, which is when the new iPhone lineup is set to launch. This does contradict the prediction made by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who claimed that AirPods “may not see significant updates” until next year earliest.
For the time being, not much is known about the earbuds, but it has been speculated that it is getting redesigned to have a slimmer case like the AirPods 4. Additionally, it could come with an upgraded chip with better ANC capabilities and improved sound quality. Health monitoring features such as heart rate monitoring and temperature sensing might also be a possibility.
(Source: MacRumors)
