Apple AirPods Pro 3 / Apple AirPods 4 (Active Noise Cancellation)

Apple AirPods Pro 3: MagSafe charging case (USB-C) with speaker

Apple AirPods 4 (Active Noise Cancellation): AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation; USB-C case with speaker and wireless charging. The AirPods 4 without ANC and the AirPods Pro models are separate.

SpecificationApple AirPods Pro 3Apple AirPods 4 (Active Noise Cancellation)
Release year20252024
Announcement and saleAnnounced 9 September 2025; in stores 19 September 2025 Apple—
ChipsApple H2 in the earbuds; second-generation Ultra Wideband (U2) chip in the charging case Apple—
Audio hardwareCustom high-excursion Apple driver; custom high dynamic range amplifier Apple—
Noise controlActive Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness

Apple says ANC is up to 2x more effective than AirPods Pro 2. Adaptive Audio blends ANC and Transparency to suit the surroundings and needs iOS 18 or later.

Apple		Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness

Without ear tips the ear canal is not sealed like with silicone-tip earbuds, so ANC mainly reduces low-frequency rumble. Adaptive Audio blends ANC and Transparency based on surrounding sound.

Apple
Spatial audioPersonalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking

Creating a personal profile requires an iPhone with a TrueDepth camera.

Apple		—
Ear tipsFoam-infused silicone tips; five sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, L

XXS is new in this generation.

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Heart rate sensingOptical heart rate sensor (PPG) in the earbuds; infrared pulsed 256 times per second

Used during workouts in the Fitness app on iPhone and requires iOS 26. It is not a medical measuring device.

Apple		—
Microphones and sensorsDual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone; skin-detect sensor, motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers

The speech-detecting accelerometer senses the wearer talking through bone vibration; Voice Isolation suppresses background noise.

Apple		Dual beamforming microphones and inward-facing microphone; Voice Isolation; optical in-ear sensor; motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers; force sensor

The force sensor lets you press the stem to control playback, calls and listening modes.

Apple
Hearing featuresHearing Test, Hearing Aid, Hearing Protection

The Hearing Aid feature is FDA-authorised for adults 18+ with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss; availability varies by country.

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Live TranslationLive Translation (beta) with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone on iOS 26

Apple notes the feature is not available in every region or language.

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ControlsStem press and swipe: play/pause, calls, mode switching, volume; “Siri” voice command

Press and hold switches listening modes; swiping up or down changes volume.

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Battery (earbuds)Up to 8 hours with ANC at 50% volume; 7.5 hours with Spatial Audio and head tracking; 6.5 hours in workouts with heart rate; 10 hours in Hearing Aid mode

Apple measured these in July–August 2025 with pre-production units and software; results vary with settings and environment.

Apple		—
Battery (with case)Up to 24 hours total with ANC; 5 minutes in the case gives about 1 hour of listening Apple—
Charging caseUSB-C, MagSafe, Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified charger; speaker for Find My; lanyard loop

A USB-C cable is not included in the box.

Apple		Charges via USB-C, an Apple Watch charger or a Qi-certified charger; speaker for Find My

No USB-C cable is included. The speaker helps locate a lost case by sound.

Apple
DurabilityIP57 (IEC 60529); earbuds and charging case

Not for water sports. Resistance may decrease over time; do not charge when wet.

Apple		IP54 dust, sweat and water resistance

Not intended for water sports; resistance can decrease over time.

Apple
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3

Per SoundGuys testing, codecs are SBC and AAC; there is no lossless wireless streaming.

Apple		—
CompatibilityLatest iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS; basic Bluetooth headphones on other devices

On non-Apple devices adaptive modes, hearing features and firmware updates are unavailable.

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Size and weightEarbud (each) 30.9 × 19.2 × 27.0 mm, 5.55 g; case 47.2 × 62.2 × 21.8 mm, 43.99 g AppleEarbud 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm, 4.3 g; case 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm, 34.7 g Apple
Chip—Apple H2 headphone chip Apple
Audio—Custom high-excursion Apple driver; high dynamic range amplifier; Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ; vent system for pressure equalisation Apple
Battery life—Earbuds: 4 hours with ANC on, 5 hours with noise control off; with case: 20 hours with ANC on, 30 hours off; 5 minutes in the case ≈ 1 hour of listening Apple
Connectivity—Bluetooth 5.3

Works as standard Bluetooth earbuds with non-Apple devices; features such as automatic switching, Spatial Audio and Adaptive Audio need current Apple software.

Apple