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The latest Apple event rumor comes courtesy of industry analyst Ming Chi Kuo, who's taken to X to announce that we're getting the AirPods Pro 3 in the second half of 2025 (likely tomorrow's Awe-dropping Apple event). But there's also a new pair of AirPods coming in 2026 with more "significant" upgrades. Erm, what? Let's unpack this rumor together.
They all come at once
[Update] Apple is expected to launch AirPods Pro 3 in 2H25, while a more significant hardware upgrade with the IR camera-equipped model is anticipated in 2026.[更新] 預期Apple將在2H25推出AirPods Pro 3。硬體升級更顯著、配備IR相機的AirPods機型將在2026年推出。 https://t.co/xRbp6jeNU3September 7, 2025
There are a few key points to note here. First, that Kuo flies in the face of a previous prediction he made, that we wouldn't see any new AirPods until 2026. The second is that he now believes that the 2026 update will be a more substantial update than the 2025 version
"a more significant hardware upgrade with the IR camera-equipped model" is what he thinks is coming in 2026. That feels... strange.
The AirPods Pro 3 are supposed to launch with some form of heart rate monitor, like the PowerBeats Pro 2. That's a new health feature, and much along the same lines as an IR camera that lives in your earbuds.
So, if Kuo is correct, that would mean that tomorrow's potential AirPods Pro 3 announcement is worth skipping, and that you should wait for what Apple has in store for us in 2026.
Or, could it be more similar to the release of the USB-C AirPods Pro 2? That was a more substantial update than anyone expected, with features like Hearing Health only available on the second model.
It's all very confusing. I guess we'll have to wait and see what Apple reveals at tomorrow's event. Stay up to date with everything we learn at the Apple event with our live blog, and we'll see you all there at Apple Park tomorrow for the big day — hopefully, we'll get some answers to the mystery of these AirPod rumors.
