It’s coming as much as two years because the launch of the Apple AirPods Pro 2, which earned excessive acclaim amongst followers and consultants alike as one of many main in-ear buds available on the market on the time – pipping the likes of Sony and Bose.
Now anticipation is constructing for what Apple has in retailer for its third-generation AirPods Professional, with loads of rumors and leaks doing the rounds already.
AirPods Professional 3: What we all know to this point and rumors
Design
The primary two generations of the Apple AirPods Professional had been virtually indistinguishable externally, with them solely being separated by distinct variations internally.
However that could possibly be about to alter if a 2023 report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is to be believed. Gurman reported final 12 months that the AirPods Professional 3 are “anticipated to get a brand new design.”
We’re but to get any extra info for what meaning precisely, nevertheless it feels like Apple desires to proceed to make sure the AirPods and AirPods Professional are clearly distinguishable. That’s as a result of the third-generation Apple AirPods launched in 2021 with a brand new design that was similar to the AirPods Professional, ditching the well-known lengthy stem for a shorter, extra compact in-ear design.
It’s additionally unclear whether or not that applies to each the earbuds and USB-C charging case, or whether or not solely one of many two will get a redesign.
{Hardware} and Specs
The Apple AirPods Professional 2 use the H2 chip nevertheless it’s anticipated the AirPods Professional 3 will come outfitted with a quicker, extra highly effective chipset – in all probability the H3 chip.
The H2 chip powers Energetic Noise Cancellation (ANC), adaptive EQ, Siri performance and quick switching.
The H3 chip will probably do all of that plus enable extra energy for added options Apple is planning to deliver to the third-generation AirPods Professional.
A kind of options, in line with Gurman, through MacRumors, could possibly be health-related. The tech journalist suggests Apple is engaged on a listening to take a look at characteristic, in addition to creating sensors for measuring physique temperature, which is alleged to be extra correct than the newest Apple Watch and Apple Watch Extremely fashions.
From an audio high quality standpoint, we should always anticipate additional enhancements to ANC and lossless audio, which Apple continues to enhance with each new launch of the AirPods Professional.
Battery Life
There isn’t a lot on the grapevine concerning any vital enhancements to the AirPods Professional 3’s battery life.
The AirPods Professional 2 at the moment presents as much as 30 hours of listening time and 24 hours of discuss time on a single cost when used with the charging case.
The earbuds themselves supply as much as six hours of standalone listening time. With Spatial Audio and Head Monitoring enabled, that drops to round 5.5 hours.
Which may change nevertheless it isn’t at the moment amongst many individuals’s want record of latest and improved AirPods Professional options forward of the third-generation’s launch.
What’s the AirPods Professional 3 launch date?
Apple Insider Ming-Chi Kuo believes we may see the AirPods Professional 3 in late 2024 or early 2025, whereas Gurman is suggesting a late 2025 launch.
Given Apple launched an up to date AirPods Professional 2 with USB-C charging simply final 12 months, many imagine a 2025 launch is extra probably at this stage.
There have been three years between the AirPods Professional (October 2019) and AirPods Professional 2 (September 2022) so, if Apple plans to proceed with that launch cycle, late 2025 is the obvious launch date for now.
How a lot will the AirPods Professional 3 value?
The earlier two generations of the AirPods Professional launched at $249 and there’s at the moment no indication that the AirPods 3 might be priced any in a different way.
Nevertheless, there’s a chance of a value improve relying on the how vital the upgrades are and, after all, the price of supplies.
Nevertheless, at this stage, there’s nothing to point a change in pricing technique for the third-generation AirPods Professional.
AirPods Professional 3: 5 options we would like
Higher Android assist
The AirPods Professional include varied iOS-only options, resembling Discover My and head-tracking spacial audio.
Whereas it does make sense for Apple to maintain some options with the Apple ecosystem, additional cross-platform assist arguably opens up the likelihood for Apple to realize extra market share within the good earbuds house.
ANC Flexibility and Enhancements
The Adaptive Transparency characteristic that debuted on the AirPods Professional 2 was a welcome improve that reduces loud, harsh or high-pitch exterior noises.
However an extra improve could be to offer customers extra flexibility with noise-canceling settings, permitting for a extra customizable expertise relying on one’s listening to desires and desires.
Adaptive Audio already acts as a hybrid between transparency mode and full ANC, and it really works effectively, however everybody’s ears are completely different, so it might be good for Apple to acknowledge this by providing customizable settings for additional ANC precision.
In the meantime, AirPods Professional ANC has fallen behind opponents since launch, with current Bose and Sony earbuds providing much better top-of-the-range ANC performance. Apple might want to match them right here.
Sound High quality Enhancements
The AirPods Professional 2 already include high-end sound high quality however each Sony and Bose have since surpassed Apple on this class because the Professional 2’s unique launch.
An upgraded chip and processor will clearly assist with this however Apple wants to essentially make vital upgrades right here in the event that they’re to stay one of many market leaders within the good earbud market.
Improved Battery Life
Whereas the present 30 hours of battery life with the USB-C charging case and 6 hours of listening time with a single cost is spectacular, it isn’t market-leading. Sony’s WF-1000XM5 presents eight hours of single-charge listening time.
If Apple can match Sony with eight hours however preserve it to 30 hours of total listening time with the charging case, that might be a really welcome improve.
Not many will want greater than 30 hours of energy, however customers who, for instance, typically journey on long-haul flights would possibly discover an eight-hour single-use cost as enticing, which might forestall them from having to spend a while of their travels charging their AirPods within the case.
Extra colours
This one’s extra of a fantasy than a crucial need, however isn’t it time Apple adopted swimsuit with its AirPods Max vary by providing the AirPods Professional in a wide range of colours?
Sure, the AirPods and AirPods Professional have all the time are available in Apple’s iconic white casing, which makes them stand out, however even simply the choice of a black model could be a pleasant contact. I’ve all the time liked the white however I’ve additionally all the time liked the look of any tech that is available in black. I feel it appears smarter.
It’s extremely unlikely however I dream that in the future it turns into a actuality. In any case, as Steve Jobs as soon as mentioned: “If you happen to haven’t discovered it but, preserve trying.”
Featured Picture: Photograph by Omid Armin on Unsplash