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1. Overview
- Price: $249
- Key New Features: Heart-rate tracking, Live Translation, improved Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), better sound quality, longer battery life.
- Retention: Most features from AirPods Pro 2 remain, including hearing health tools, hands-free Siri, gesture-based notifications, audio sharing, and simplified setup.
- Goal: Apple’s most comprehensive update to its earbuds, aiming to cover fitness, translation, and audio improvements without raising the price.
2. Design Changes
- Earbud Shape: Redesigned to align better with the ear canal for comfort and secure fit.
- Ear Tips: Foam-infused, offering better passive noise isolation. Users may need smaller sizes compared to AirPods Pro 2.
- Driver & Nozzle: Drivers slightly re-angled to direct sound more effectively; nozzle now protrudes like competitor earbuds.
- Charging Case:
- Bluetooth pairing button removed; double-tap near LED now pairs devices.
- LED is hidden when not illuminated for a cleaner look.
- Slightly larger than AirPods Pro 2.
- Overall Fit: Marketed as “best-fitting AirPods ever,” though adjustment may be needed for existing Pro 2 users.
3. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
- Improved microphones and computational audio allow stronger noise suppression, including higher frequencies like human voices.
- Foam tips enhance passive isolation, boosting ANC effectiveness.
- ANC supports other features:
- Hearing Test: Works in louder environments.
- Live Translation: Reduces background and speaker volume for clearer interpretation.
- Claimed performance:
- 2× more noise cancellation than AirPods Pro 2.
- 4× more than the original AirPods Pro.
4. Live Translation
- Availability: Activated via earbuds (press and hold both stems), Siri, or iPhone Action Button.
- Function: Real-time translation for in-person conversations; transcription visible in Translate app.
- Setup: Requires Apple Intelligence and compatible iPhone. Language models must be downloaded; offline use possible.
- Launch Languages: English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish. Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese coming later.
- Performance: Works well; small lag between phone and earbuds audio.
5. Heart-Rate Tracking
- Integrated into AirPods Pro 3 for fitness and workout tracking.
- Works with Apple Fitness app and other apps supporting Powerbeats Pro 2 (Nike Run Club, Peloton, etc.).
- Provides live metrics during workouts (time, distance, average heart rate).
- Syncs with Apple Watch to avoid conflicting data.
- Supports 50 workout types (e.g., HIIT, yoga, paddling, even archery).
6. Sound Quality
- Improvements:
- New drivers/transducers and multiport acoustic architecture improve airflow and bass response.
- Wider soundstage and clearer vocals.
- Drivers angled to beam sound directly into the ear canal.
- Listening Experience:
- Bass-heavy tracks: warmer, richer low-end.
- Vocals: clearer, more natural.
- Atmospheric tracks: expanded spatial clarity.
7. Call Quality & Voice Features
- Transparency mode improved for more natural sound, including hearing aid and translation applications.
- Studio-quality voice recording introduced in iOS 26 for apps like Camera, Voice Memos, Messages, FaceTime.
- AirPods can act as a lavalier microphone for iPhone video recordings.
8. Battery Life
- Earbuds: 8 hours with ANC (2 hours longer than AirPods Pro 2), 10 hours with Transparency + Hearing Aid.
- Quick Charge: 5 minutes in case = 1 hour of use.
- Total Case + Earbuds: 24 hours (slightly less than previous 30 hours).
- New Features: Ultra-wideband chip (U2) improves Precision Find My range.
9. Competition
- Within Apple: AirPods 4 with ANC ($179) – lacks heart-rate and hearing tools, but open fit may be more comfortable.
- Other Brands:
- Sony WF-1000XM5: Strong ANC, cross-platform support.
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra: Best pure noise-canceling.
- Noble Audio FoKus Rex5: Best sound quality for audiophiles.
10. Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Enhanced ANC and sound quality
- Live Translation feature
- Heart-rate tracking
- Extended battery life on earbuds
Cons:
- New fit may require adjustment
- Total battery life (including case) reduced
- Live Translation initially supports only 5 languages
11. Overall Verdict
- The AirPods Pro 3 is Apple’s most significant update to its earbuds in years.
- Improvements span comfort, audio performance, fitness tracking, and real-time translation.
- The H2 chip still has untapped potential; Apple will likely continue adding features over time.
