While iPhone 17 is likely to be the showstopper at Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event on September 9, the company is also expected to release a number of other accessories. Apple was long rumored to launch the Apple AirPods Pro 3 at the September 9 event, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier stated that the Cupertino-based tech giant wasn’t going to make that announcement in 2026.
Just days ahead of the big launch event, however, Kuo seems to have changed his mind and now states in a blog post that Apple will indeed launch the AirPods Pro 3 at the iPhone 17 launch event next week.
Kuo also claims that Apple could also launch the next generation of AirPods Pro 4 with more significant hardware upgrades like an IR camera-equipped model in 2026.
Earlier leaks have hinted that Apple is planning to incorporate an optical heart rate monitor that will be able to track the user’s heart rate through the day and during workouts with the AirPods Pro 3, similar to the feature introduced with the Beats Powerbeats Pro 3. The AirPods Pro 3 could also come with an in-ear temperature sensor which could provide more accurate body temperature readings than the skin temperature reader from the Apple Watch.
The earphones could also come with a new H3 audio chip that could help with power improvements along with sound quality enhancements and better connectivity. It is also expected to help with stronger and more effective active noise cancellation (ANC) than its predecessor.
Moreover, Apple is also expected to reduce the size of the charging case of the AirPods Pro 3 while adding support for some iOS 26 features like “pause when sleeping,” “camera remote,” and “studio quality recording.”
There is no concrete update on the pricing of the AirPods Pro 3, but some leaks suggest that the earphones could be priced around the $250-300 price point.
