Headphones · 2025 · Apple
Apple's 2025 in-ear ANC earbuds. They offer the H2 chip, new foam-infused tips in five sizes, an optical heart-rate sensor for workouts, hearing aid and hearing test features, and up to 8 hours of battery with ANC on. Tests rate the noise cancelling and battery highly; the fit does not suit everyone, some owners report static on flights, and most features need an Apple device.
MagSafe charging case (USB-C) with speaker
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Announcement and sale | Announced 9 September 2025; in stores 19 September 2025 |
| Chips | Apple H2 in the earbuds; second-generation Ultra Wideband (U2) chip in the charging case |
| Audio hardware | Custom high-excursion Apple driver; custom high dynamic range amplifier |
| Noise control | Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness |
| Spatial audio | Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking |
| Ear tips | Foam-infused silicone tips; five sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, L |
| Heart rate sensing | Optical heart rate sensor (PPG) in the earbuds; infrared pulsed 256 times per second |
| Microphones and sensors | Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone; skin-detect sensor, motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers |
| Hearing features | Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, Hearing Protection |
| Live Translation | Live Translation (beta) with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone on iOS 26 |
| Controls | Stem press and swipe: play/pause, calls, mode switching, volume; “Siri” voice command |
| Battery (earbuds) | Up to 8 hours with ANC at 50% volume; 7.5 hours with Spatial Audio and head tracking; 6.5 hours in workouts with heart rate; 10 hours in Hearing Aid mode |
| Battery (with case) | Up to 24 hours total with ANC; 5 minutes in the case gives about 1 hour of listening |
| Charging case | USB-C, MagSafe, Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified charger; speaker for Find My; lanyard loop |
| Durability | IP57 (IEC 60529); earbuds and charging case |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Compatibility | Latest iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS; basic Bluetooth headphones on other devices |
| Size and weight | Earbud (each) 30.9 × 19.2 × 27.0 mm, 5.55 g; case 47.2 × 62.2 × 21.8 mm, 43.99 g |
Apple calls it “the world’s best in-ear Active Noise Cancellation”, up to 2x more effective than AirPods Pro 2. This is a manufacturer claim. Apple
SoundGuys measured a 90% average reduction in outside noise loudness on a unit it bought; battery with ANC lasted 8 hours 42 minutes (5 hours 43 minutes on the Pro 2). The frequency response showed strong bass and emphasised 5–8 kHz treble, more pronounced at low volume. The foam-hybrid tips sat more securely than before but could slip with sweat and oil. There is no EQ, Android gets only basic playback, and one audio channel imbalance occurred in testing.
SoundGuys: Apple AirPods Pro 3 reviewheise online reports growing accounts on Reddit and Apple Community since October 2025: sudden static or crackling, especially during pressure changes on flights and mostly when no audio is playing, in ANC, off and Transparency modes. Apple is said to be collecting data and replacing units under warranty, but the problem sometimes returns after replacement. One user traced it to earwax.
heise online: Problems with ANC — user reports of audio errors with AirPods Pro 3On Apple Community Catherine Lucas (16 June 2026) wrote that AirPods Pro 3 slide out even without head movement and that other brands and sizes of tips did not help; 9 people marked the same issue. BobCH says the Pro 2 fit well but the Pro 3 falls out within minutes. There is no Apple reply; the suggestion was to try different tip sizes in each ear.
Apple Community: Air pods Pro 3 not fitting in my ear, keep dropping out