In a surprise to no one, Apple is working on a new pair of AirPods Pro earbuds. However, the unexpected news is that the company plans to launch the new models in 2026. They won't replace the current AirPods Pro 3, which are easily among the best earbuds, but will instead sit alongside them as an ultra-premium model.
Of course, if Apple wants to justify a higher price tag for a pair of AirPods Pro, it needs to add new features, as no one is going to pay extra out of the kindness of their hearts. Based on a report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a leak from Instant Digital, it sounds like Apple has some big plans, including advanced gesture controls and the powerful H3 chip.
What to expect from the expensive AirPods Pro 3 model
The biggest hardware upgrade we've heard of is coming to the new, pricier version of the AirPods Pro: a gesture-reading infrared camera. With this, users will be able to control their music, answer calls and do anything else they'd expect to do with the earbuds without pressing any physical buttons or touch areas.
In fact, Instant Digital suggested that these cameras could prompt Apple to remove the fancy new model's pressure sensors and offer gesture controls only. That would be an interesting move from Apple, as people have grown comfortable with swiping to control music and calls.
The H3 chip is also being rumored for the new AirPods. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has a very reliable track record of reporting on all things Apple, the next-generation audio chip is in development. It could be for a future model, such as the AirPods 5 or an upgraded Max, but that remains to be seen.
Either way, Apple has a large price gap between the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max, with the headphones selling for $249 and $549, respectively. If it were to drop the advanced AirPods Pro 3 this year in the $349-$399 range, it would fill the space nicely.
If these do come to fruition, it'll probably be a few months before we see anything official, as Apple typically drops new AirPods in the back half of the year.
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