The iPhones weren’t the only highlights of Apple’s event — the AirPods Pro 3 came with significant upgrades. This year’s model includes the biggest addition: a heart-rate sensor, a feature that quietly turns earbuds into a more capable health buddy for your workouts or daily routines. Apple has also redesigned the fit by introducing foam-infused ear tips available in five sizes, including the brand-new XXS option for people who’ve always found the previous AirPods just a bit too large. It’s a small change, but definitely an important one for comfort and seal.

Apple claims that its world’s best in-ear Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology can block up to twice as much background noise as its previous model, marking a significant improvement for anyone spending time on trains, planes, or in noisy gyms. Pair that with Live Translation in iOS 26 and the upgrade to IP57 water- and sweat-resistance, and you can see what Apple aimed for this year.

Considering everything packed into a device about the size of one of those small smart-home sensors barely noticeable in a corner of a room, the USD $249 price tag seems quite reasonable for what you’re getting. If you’re planning to upgrade, pre-orders open on September 10, with full availability online and in stores starting September 19.

Highlights:

• “World’s best Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)”—twice Pro 2, eight-hour battery life.
• AirPods Pro 3 now feature heart rate sensing, Live Translation, and an improved fit.
• IP57 Sweat & Water-Resistance Makes Them Suitable for Workouts.
• Preorders begin September 10, available September 19 in the United States, Canada, and 50+ regions at USD $249.

Let’s start with Apple’s bold statement, “world’s best in-ear Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)”—a claim you can find in any pair available on the market today. Big claim, but this holds true, especially considering its previous generation AirPods Pro 2, which remains a popular choice, and that’s not hard to believe as Apple managed to push things even further this year.

So, how did they do it? Well, they achieved this through three ways:

• Ultra-low noise microphones
• Advanced computational audio
• New foam-infused ear tips for greater passive noise isolation

What happens when you put all this together? You get an Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) that feels different the moment you start listening. The AirPods Pro 3 block out up to 2x as much noise than the AirPods Pro 2 and close to 4x more than the first-generation model, which makes a huge difference if you are squeezing yourself into a busy area, trying to focus at work, or just chilling at home.

The soundstage feels more immersive because distractions fade faster, allowing your music or podcasts to sit in a clearer, quieter space. Even with that increase in isolation, Apple still managed to extend the battery life: with ANC on, the AirPods Pro 3 provide up to eight hours of playback — roughly a 33 percent increase over last year’s model.

When it comes to comfort, the AirPods Pro 3 build on what already worked and push it a bit further. The previous generation fit most people well, but Apple clearly wanted a more secure, more sealed fit this time. To achieve this, the company relied on extensive research — scanning over 10,000 ears, analysing 100,000 hours of real-world usage, and gathering data from more than 300 million measuring points. That work led to a subtle redesign intended to improve passive isolation even before ANC is activated.

The buds are slightly smaller, and Apple adjusted the stem and ear-tip shape so everything lines up more closely to the center of the ear. This makes them sit more naturally, feel more stable, and less likely to stick out — basically, no more “antenna ears.” Apple also released new foam-infused ear tips in five sizes, including a new XXS option, which will be welcome for anyone who had trouble with the previous fit.

They’re now IP57 sweat and water-resistant, so taking them to the gym or out for a run isn’t an issue. And this is where the new heart-rate sensor comes into play. Apple’s tiny custom-built PPG sensor fires off invisible infrared pulses hundreds of times per second to monitor your heart rate in real-time. It’s impressive technology for something this small, and while some people might side-eye anything that beams light into their ear canal, the idea is to make fitness tracking feel more natural and hands-free.

The AirPods Pro 3 introduce one of Apple’s most ambitious features yet: Live Translation. It’s still in beta, but even in its early stage, the concept is remarkable. With a simple toggle, your AirPods can enable a genuine conversation with someone who speaks an entirely different language. Apple combines computational audio and its new Apple Intelligence system to keep everything hands-free, allowing you to speak naturally and hear translated responses in real time. It’s designed for travel, work, study sessions, or simply connecting with people who don’t share the same first language.

If the person you’re talking to isn’t using AirPods, Apple still provides a workaround. Your iPhone can be held horizontally to display live transcription of your speech in their language, while their responses are translated back into your preferred language via your AirPods. It’s reminiscent of the early days of FaceTime — one of those features that starts as a convenience and quickly becomes essential after a few uses.

What makes it even more impressive is when both people are wearing AirPods with Live Translation turned on. Longer conversations become simpler because ANC subtly dims the other person’s voice, helping you concentrate on the translation without losing the natural flow of the chat. At launch, the feature supports English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish, with Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese coming later this year. It’s early days, but this could quietly become one of the main reasons to upgrade.

“With AirPods Pro 3, the most popular headphones take a massive leap forward, providing fantastic sound quality and the world’s best ANC of any in-ear wireless headphones,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “Combined with an improved fit that provides greater stability for even more people, heart rate sensing, extended battery life, and Live Translation enabled by Apple Intelligence, AirPods Pro 3 take personal audio to the next level.”

Customers in the United States, Canada, and dozens of other regions will be able to pre-order the AirPods Pro 3 starting Wednesday, September 10, with full availability both online and in stores beginning Friday, September 19. Pricing starts at USD $249, placing them in line with the rest of Apple’s premium audio lineup.