The AirPods Pro 3 have an updated design that Apple says is more ergonomic, and new ear tips that are supposed to be better at eliminating ambient sound.
Apple included new ear tips that fuse a thin layer of soft foam microspheres to a silicone shell for better passive noise isolation.
The ear tips come in five sizes, including XXS, XS, S, M, and L, The smaller XXS size wasn't available with the AirPods Pro 2.
The new foam ear tips, the wider range of size options, improved computational audio, and the design changes to make the earbuds fit more ergonomically in the ear all help to make the AirPods Pro 3 2x better at Active Noise Cancellation than the AirPods Pro 2.
Apple is still selling the AirPods Pro 3 for $249, but there is no longer a USB-C charging cable inside, so the company is saving a bit of cash with this model. The AirPods Pro 3 are available for pre-order and will launch on Friday, September 19.
Monday September 14, 2026 11:42 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2. The firmware is available for all of the above devices, and it will enable support for new iOS 27 features. The firmware has a build number of 9A348.
In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, Apple is adding a new AirPods interface, a slider for Adaptive mode, and support for custom EQ....
Apple planned to introduce high-end in-ear AirPods with built-in cameras for analyzing the surrounding environment at today's event, but the launch has been pushed to next year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
In early August, Gurman said the earbuds were progressing well enough to potentially ship before the end of the year. By mid-August, though, he reported that Apple had pulled the model...
Apple today announced a new lineup of accessories for the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and AirPods Pro 3, including a redesigned clear case with MagSafe and all-new wrist straps.
The new colors span much of Apple's accessory range:
TechWoven Case with MagSafe: Burgundy, Olive, Taupe, Chambray Blue, Mulberry, and Black
Silicone Case with MagSafe: Magenta, Black, Navy Blue, Crisp...
I have Comply memory foam tips for my OG Apple AirPods Pro which offer a significantly better fit than the Apple silicon tips, which - for me - were rubbish and led to the AirPods falling out of my ears. The Comply tips were a bit of a revelation.
I will be very interested if these "new" tips are an improvement, or if I need to wait for Comply to offer memory foam tips for the AirPods Pro 3 - regardless, I think it is inevitable I will pick up a pair, given the advantages over my OG AirPods Pro.
