(Credit: Zain Awais/PCMag/Apple)
Apple debuted its next-generation AirPods Pro 3 today at its annual fall hardware event, and our first impressions here at PCMag are pretty positive.
Apple maintains the Pro 2 earbuds' $249 price tag, while adding better sound quality, noise cancellation, and live AI translation. Plus, they've got new workout features that turn the earbuds into a miniature Apple Watch of sorts.
(Credit: Apple/Screenshot by PCMag)Better Sound, Battery, and Noise Cancellation
A new "multiport acoustic architecture" boosts sound quality, which "transforms the bass response, widens the sound stage so you hear every instrument, and brings vocals into stunning focus across music, shows, and calls," Kate Bergeron, VP of hardware engineering at Apple, said at the event.
Apple says the active noise cancellation (ANC) is also getting a big boost, with twice as much ANC as the AirPods Pro 2 and up to four times more than the original AirPods Pro.
Battery life has also been increased to eight hours, or 10 hours for hearing aid users in Transparency mode. The fact that AirPods Pro 2 have a lower battery life than a traditional hearing aid is a main reason some hard-of-hearing users tell us they only use their Pro 2s around the house.
Better ANC will also help hearing aid users get more accurate hearing test results, Apple says. The company says it's bringing Hearing Protection to the EU and UK, "following certification for those regions."
Live Translation With Apple Intelligence
(Credit: Apple/Screenshot by PCMag)As for net-new features, Apple is bringing its Live Translation tech to your ears, powered by Apple Intelligence. If you're wearing the AirPods Pro 3 and talking to someone else who speaks a different language, you can hear what they are saying in your native language. If two people are wearing them, they can hear each other, which would seriously break down language barriers, albeit presumably with a small delay.
AirPods Pro 3 wearers can enable Live Translation by touching the earbuds. This automatically engages active noise cancellation to lower the speaker's volume, and the wearer begins hearing the translation of what they're saying. To talk back, just show them your iPhone, which displays what you said in their language. The phone can also read it aloud if needed. If you're both wearing the AirPod Pro 3, live translations will be heard in both sets of earbuds.
(Credit: Apple/Screenshot by PCMag)Apple makes a point of saying it's "available in beta," and it only works in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. It will be available in four more languages by the end of the year: Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified). Still, that's pretty powerful.
Fresh New Fit, Especially for Workouts
(Credit: Apple/Screenshot by PCMag)Apple says it redesigned the fit of the AirPods Pro after analyzing thousands of ears. It made them smaller, with a more ergonomic shape that mimics the ear canal. The company also added more customized tips to choose from, now up to five.
Apple says the new fit is specifically designed to stay in your ear during sweaty workouts. The AirPods Pro 3 can act as a fitness companion, almost like a miniature Apple Watch. Thanks to a tiny, custom-built sensor, they now have heart rate monitoring. That's a big upgrade, especially given the lack of a price increase.
The AirPods Pro 3 can track your heart rate, up to 50 workout types, and calories burned, all of which you can view on your iPhone. The pods also have Workout Buddy, an Apple Intelligence feature introduced at WWDC for the Apple Watch. It's an AI-powered voice that motivates you and talks you through a workout (you can be the judge if that's annoying or not!).
AirPods 3 Release Date
The AirPods Pro 3 are available for preorder today and officially come out Sept. 19.