At its “Awe Dropping” event on Tuesday, Apple announced the new AirPods Pro 3, the latest iteration of its high-end earphones. The AirPods Pro 3 take a big step from being a simple listening device to a robust wearable with key features that make them more useful. Here are the three major upgrades that we can’t wait to check out.
AirPods Pro 3: Heart rate sensors and workout integration
Two of the key new features don’t involve the listening experience at all, but are helpful for keeping an eye on your personal health.
The first is a new heart-rate sensor. Apple debuted a heart-rate sensor in the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earlier this year, and a new version of it makes its way to the AirPods Pro 3. Apple says it’s the smallest custom-built heart rate sensor, and it can continuously measure your heart rate during a workout.
The AirPods Pro 3 also has integration with workouts using the Fitness app. Users can start up to 50 different workout types using the AirPods Pro 3 and track their heart rate, close rings, and keep track of burned calories. The AirPods Pro 3 also feature IP57 sweat and water resistance, so when you’re workout is getting heated, you don’t have to worry about your earphones being able to handle the extra moisture.
Apple
I’m also interested to see how the heart-rate monitor and workouts compare to the Apple Watch. It sounds like it works similarly, but the support that the AirPods 3 Pro provide might be enough for a lot of users, especially those who are looking for a more affordable heart rate monitor and workout device than an Apple Watch (or you’re like me and don’t like wearing watches).
AirPods Pro 3: Live Translation
With iOS 26 on your iPhone, the AirPods Pro 3 supports Live Translation, the ability to translate another language on the fly. With Live Translation enabled, the AirPods Pro 3 takes the audio being spoken and transmits it to the iPhone, where it is translated. You then hear the translated text through the AirPods Pro 3.
If two people in a conversation are using AirPods with Live Translation, active noise cancellation kicks in so you can focus on spoken translation, but it doesn’t completely mute the voice of the other person. Live Translation can also display a transcription of your conversation. With this, you can show the other person what you’re saying and it will display in their preferred language.
Apple states that Live Translation is in beta, so there are some kinks to work out. Live Translation isn’t just for the AirPods Pro 3, it will also be available on the AirPods 4 with ANC and the AirPods Pro 2. It’s available in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. By the end of the year, Apple plans to add support for Chinese (simplified), Italian, Japanese, and Korean.
Apple
As someone who lives in an area of diverse cultures and backgrounds, I can’t wait to try Live Translation and have conversations with people who struggle with English. I feel like it can open doors to new experiences. And I also like to travel, so Live Translation will be a handy tool.
AirPods Pro 3: Better-fitting earbuds
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had problems with the fit of the AirPods Pro in my ears. I just can’t get them to seat comfortably. I was able to get a better fit by ditching Apple’s bundled eartips and by going with third-party foam tips, but they’re still not an ideal fit.
Apple
With the AirPods Pro 3, my hopes are up for a better fit. The earbuds have been redesigned so that they are smaller, and the ear tips are now aligned to the center of the earbud body, which Apple claims will increase stability. Apple is also now using foam eartips and will provide five different sizes. Here’s hoping I can finally get that perfect fit.
AirPods Pro 3: Better ANC, spatial listening, and more
Besides those big three upgrades, the AirPods Pro 3 features a lot more, including:
- 4x more effective active-noise cancellation
- Voices in Transparency mode sound more natural
- Up to eight hours of music playback, an increase from six
- Increased battery life in Transparency mode to 10 hours
- Hearing Protection availability in the EU and UK users, pending certification
Priced at $249/£219, the AirPods Pro 3 are now available to order and start shipping on September 19.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.