According to analyst Jeff Pu from GF Securities Hong Kong, Apple may not release the AirPods Pro 3 until 2026. This announcement contradicts previous expectations of a much earlier launch. Pu’s timeline suggests a significant delay, especially considering Mark Gurman from Bloomberg had indicated in February that new AirPods with heart rate monitoring could arrive as soon as late 2025. Recent findings have highlighted references to the AirPods Pro 3 in the iOS 26 beta, as shared by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser.
However, another analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, previously noted that major updates for AirPods might not occur until 2026, though it remains unclear whether he was referring to the standard AirPods or the Pro version. Historically, Apple tends to unveil notable updates to AirPods alongside new iPhone releases. Thus, many anticipated a launch during the September event concurrent with the new iPhone 17 series. If the AirPods Pro 3 is indeed delayed until 2026, it would represent a four-year gap since the introduction of AirPods Pro 2 in September 2022.
Looking ahead to 2025, Pu suggests Apple plans to concentrate on other hardware, forecasting the arrival of the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. He also predicts the anticipated HomePad tablet release within the same year, although specific dates were not disclosed. For 2026, the AirPods Pro 3 is expected to debut alongside the Apple Watch Series 12 and a refreshed Vision Pro. Further into 2027 and beyond, Pu anticipates the introduction of new capabilities such as blood monitoring for the Apple Watch, along with “Vision Air” and smart glasses.
The upcoming AirPods Pro 3 are rumored to include enhanced active noise cancellation and heart rate monitoring, following the features seen in the recently revealed Powerbeats Pro 2.
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