2024 was a solid year for headphones. Apple surprised us with not one, but two different versions of the AirPods 4. Beats resurrected its best-selling headphone line with the Solo 4, while also launching new entry-level wireless earbuds via the Solo Buds. Bose set the standard for premium open earbuds with its eye-grabbing Ultra Open Earbuds. We even saw Sonos’ long-awaited Ace headphones hit store shelves.
Sprinkled among these popular releases were other notable selections that consisted of AI-powered buds (Google Pixel Buds Pro 2), bargain gems (EarFun Air 2 NC), rehashes (AirPods Max 2024), and the world’s first-ever open-ear headphones.
A few big entries were left off the 2024 release schedule. However, new leaks and reports suggest we’ll see them in 2025. That’s if manufacturing conflicts and the impending tariff wars don’t stall production or cancel these products.
Are new AirPods on the way? Can we expect Sony’s next flagship cans? And what’s this about a high-end version of Sonos’ current headphones? Details are scarce. No official release dates have been confirmed either. Yet the hype around these models steadily increases as we approach the new year.
So, without further ado, here are the 5 rumored headphones we’re anticipating in 2025.
1. AirPods Pro 3
After dropping two versions of the AirPods 4 and a refresh of the AirPods Max, all signs point to Apple’s next big audio release being the third-gen AirPods Pro. According to French media site Consomac (per Mark Gurman’s ‘Power On’ newsletter), the third-gen flagship buds should hit store shelves in early 2025.
What’s expected? Mostly everything introduced on the first-gen AirPods Pro 2, including enhanced ANC, high-bandwidth connectivity, modified sound, and the MagSafe charging case with built-in speaker and Find My integration. Let’s not forget the latest upgrades from the newest model: Hearing Assistance, IP54 dust resistance (buds and case), lossless audio via Vision Pro headset, and USB-C charging.
What’s rumored? A new H3 processor that improves ANC and sound, along with other software enhancements designed for optimizing performance across all Apple products. There’s talk of new health-related features in the works, such as integrated sensors that measure body temperature through your ear canal. It’s also possible that the AirPods Pro 3 carry the next-gen U2 processor that would expand options for locating the buds in the Find My app.
2. Sony WH-1000XM6
Truth be told, Sony doesn’t have to launch their next-gen headphones any time soon. The near-perfect Sony WH-1000XM5 have remained the best headphones for two years and continue to sell well, thanks to their exceptional ANC, sound quality, and special features. A new firmware update has extended their life span by adding features like Google’s Find My service and Auto Switch to instantly transfer audio from the headphones to Sony’s all-new LinkBuds Portable Wireless Speaker.
Sony usually puts out a new Mark Series flagship headphone every two years. Since we’re going on year three of the latest version, talk of the WH-1000XM6 coming out in 2025 has gained serious traction. A recent dive into import documents by The Walkman Blog also lends credence to this theory; a new wireless Sony headset was spotted with the product code YY2984. This could be another entry-level or mid-range headphone for all we know. Then again, it may not be.
Details about the product’s design, features, and specs are unknown, though we put together a wish list of the 5 things we want to see from the Sony WH-1000XM6.
3. Beats PowerBeats Pro 2
Beats inaugural wireless earbuds have been begging for an update, especially after numerous other brand releases (e.g., Fit Pro, Studio Buds+) hit the scene and welcomed multiple AirPods Pro-level features like ANC and Personalized Spatial Audio. Five years later and a PowerBeats Pro sequel has been confirmed for 2025. This is almost guaranteed, but Beats could delay it if manufacturing costs and tariffs spike.
A sneak peak of the Powerbeats Pro 2 was shared in an Instagram post with Los Angeles Dodgers’ superstar Shohei Ohtani wearing the next-gen model. From the looks of them, these sports buds maintain the original’s earhook design with multifunctional button, though they look curvier and smaller. A cream colorway is shown as well. Other rumored colors are black, orange, and purple.
The buds may come with longer battery life and most of, if not all, the same features as the AirPods Pro 2. We also anticipate a refined listening experience with new sound architecture and USB-C charging. Lastly, the Powerbeats Pro 2 might have a heart-rate monitor that sends information to the Apple Health app.
4. Sonos Ace “Luxury Edition”
The Sonos Ace was an impressive headphone debut for the wireless sound system giant. Excellent sound and robust active noise cancellation in a trendy design earned these headphones critical praise. They were also riddled with problems. An incredibly buggy app experience, no lossless audio over Wi-Fi, and lackluster smart integration with brand products at launch brought their stock down.
According to Bloomberg, poor sales has resulted in Sonos cutting Ace manufacturing by nearly 90% percent. This would set up the brand’s new two-pronged strategy of selling an upscaled Ace headphone for the same price as the original ($450), while marking down the first-gen Ace by $50.
A more spec’d out version of the Ace sounds appealing, especially if Sonos can fix the performance issues without raising the MSRP. This could also make the luxury edition the top AirPods Max alternative for ecosystem snobs.
5. Anker Soundcore Q11i
Tom’s Guide loves a great pair of bargain wireless headphones. The rumors of Anker launching another reliable entry in their already affordable headphone lineup is exciting news for brand enthusiasts and budget-conscious shoppers. A new over-ear model dubbed the Q11i was just leaked by Reddit user joshuadwx and it looks identical to the noise-cancelling Soundcore Q20i, which launched back in 2023.
The spec sheet reads as follows: a 3.5mm auxiliary port, 40mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint technology, USB-C input, and up to 60 hours of battery life with a 5-minute charge generating 4 hours of use. That’s not bad for what we presume to be sub-$50 headphones. We wouldn’t put it past Anker to bless the Q11i with Soundcore app support for sound personalization, which the company already offers on most of its inexpensive headphones and earbuds.
