Tip: AirPods Pro 3 won’t be released until next year
According to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong, Apple could launch the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026. This contradicts previous predictions that predicted a much earlier release. Pu’s prediction comes as something of a surprise. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg said in February that new AirPods with heart rate monitoring were “months away,” suggesting a launch by the end of 2025 at the earliest. Code references to the AirPods Pro 3 were recently discovered by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser in the iOS 26 beta.
However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a recent report that the AirPods are not expected to be available until will receive major updates in 2026. He expects AirPods equipped with IR cameras to go into mass production then. However, it was unclear whether Kuo was referring to the standard AirPods, and the analyst did not respond to requests for clarification.
In the past, Apple has released major AirPods updates alongside new iPhones were released, so a September event – probably coinciding with the upcoming iPhone 17 series – was considered the most plausible timeframe. A release in 2026 would mean that four years have passed since the debut of the AirPods Pro 2 in September 2022.
Apple Watch Series 11 and Watch Ultra 3 instead of AirPods Pro 3
Pu’s product roadmap shows that Apple is focusing on other hardware in 2025. The analyst expects the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Watch Ultra 3 to be released this year, which is no real surprise. In particular, he predicts that Apple will also release its rumored HomePad tablet this year. However, he did not provide a more precise date.
Pu predicts the launch of the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026, along with the Apple Watch Series 12 and a redesigned Vision Pro. For 2027 and beyond, he expects blood monitoring features for the Apple Watch, as well as the debut of “Vision Air” and smart glasses.
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are expected to feature significantly improved active noise cancellation and heart rate monitoring, similar to the recently announced Powerbeats Pro 2. Apple last updated the AirPods Pro line with a USB-C charging case in September 2023.
