The AirPods have come a great distance. When the primary iteration launched in 2016, it featured a chunky construct and mediocre specs. Since then, Apple has actively developed its wi-fi earbuds, introducing a number of tiers, extra compact designs, longer battery life, and superior integration with the broader Apple ecosystem. Immediately, prospects can choose from fashions that begin at $129 and go all the best way as much as $549—catering to completely different budgets and expectations.
The AirPods Professional 2 occur to be my favourite mannequin. They’re the right stability between portability and immersion, providing assist for ANC and Dolby Atmos in a miniature shell. They usually get common boosts from software program updates, such because the not too long ago launched listening to well being options. Nonetheless, there are some shortcomings that I’d wish to see Apple tackle when it launches the AirPods Professional 3, probably in September.
Listed here are the seven upgrades I hope we’ll see from the following model of the AirPods Professional.
1. Precise Intelligence
In an period dominated by AI, the world’s most useful tech agency nonetheless struggles to ship a dependable private assistant. With this in thoughts, Apple baked ChatGPT into iOS 18, enhancing customers’ expertise till it figures out how one can repair Siri.
Whereas I can instruct Siri to ask ChatGPT a query utilizing my AirPods Professional 2, the duty fails more often than not. It both asks OpenAI’s chatbot a wholly completely different query or ignores my express ChatGPT request and provides generic internet outcomes. Curiously, I solely encounter this problem when summoning Siri with my AirPods—the ChatGPT integration works simply fantastic when initiating it from my iPhone.
With the AirPods Professional 3, I need Apple to combine ChatGPT’s voice mode, letting customers begin real-time audio conversations via their earbuds. Google’s Pixel Buds already provide an analogous Gemini Reside expertise, which allows customers to inquire about extra complicated issues utilizing pure language. My iPhone’s Motion button is presently set to start out a ChatGPT voice mode session, however that requires me to take my cellphone out and unlock it when on the go.
Mahmoud Itani / Foundry
2. Automated translation
One other helpful Google Pixel Buds functionality is stay translation, and I’d like to see it on the AirPods Professional 3.
For the previous 5 years, I’ve been transferring between nations the place English isn’t broadly spoken or a viable lingua franca. Whereas the Translate app provides an Motion button shortcut and might deal with the duty, speaking immediately through the earbuds could be extra intuitive outdoor. Fortuitously, rumors counsel that iOS 19 will undertake such a characteristic, so we might see it when the following AirPods launch within the fall.
3. Shifting to the darkish facet
The AirPods Professional 3 are rumored to rock a shrunken look that does away with the stem. However whereas I at all times discover design overhauls thrilling, dimension isn’t the one facet that issues.
Since their preliminary debut, all AirPods and AirPods Professional fashions have solely are available white. With the next-gen launch, I hope Apple places out a black variant for these averse to light-colored devices. In any case, the Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard have already adopted this components.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
4. Amplified noise cancellation
Energetic noise cancellation is considered one of my most treasured AirPods Professional 2 perks, letting me shut out the world when in public areas. Whereas the characteristic effectively blocks out most exterior distractions, loud noise nonetheless manages to slide via. With the following AirPods Professional iteration, it will be nice if we might get a stronger ANC that muffles extra sounds.
5. Sensing the beat
The Powerbeats Professional 2 had been the primary Apple audio product to include a coronary heart price sensor, and the AirPods Professional 3 might and will observe go well with. But it surely also needs to take the characteristic additional.
Notably, the Beats-branded earbuds include a ton of restrictions that dictate how customers can measure their coronary heart price. For instance, solely a handful of health apps, excluding Apple’s personal, assist the monitor. Additionally, there’s no choice to choose a default coronary heart price monitoring accent when sporting an Apple Watch and Powerbeats Professional 2 concurrently. With the AirPods Professional 3, I want Apple would tackle these limitations so customers can depend on the expertise when utilizing Health+ and choose which wearable information the info.
Mahmoud Itani / Foundry
6. One-tap firmware updates
For those who’re a tech fanatic, you’re probably acquainted with the AirPods software program replace course of (or lack thereof). Apple specifies that you would be able to replace your earbuds’ firmware by bringing them near your iDevice and connecting them to an influence supply. The method, nonetheless, happens randomly within the background, with seemingly no method to drive it or monitor its progress.
When iOS 19 and the AirPods Professional 3 launch this fall, I want Apple would add a devoted button within the Settings app to simply verify for, obtain, and set up the newest firmware obtainable. This might make it extra handy for devoted customers to strive new options the second they debut.
7. Extra life per cost
One factor I dislike about my AirPods Professional 2 is their battery life. Based on Apple, the earbuds can final 5-6 hours on a single cost with ANC enabled. That’s considerably shorter than a full work shift or mountain climbing session, usually forcing me to pause my music and recharge. The Powerbeats Professional 2, then again, provide as much as 8 hours of listening time with ANC on. An identical battery life on the following AirPods Professional could be ultimate.
Mahmoud Itani / Foundry
A Professional system that lives as much as its title
The AirPods Professional 2 are already considered one of my most-used Apple merchandise. Whether or not I’m working within the metropolis, mountain climbing in the midst of nowhere, working from a café, or simply commuting, the earbuds preserve me entertained by minimizing exterior noise and delivering spatial audio tracks. Regardless of that, Apple might improve them additional by addressing the imperfections above.
The AirPods Professional 3 must meet up with the instances and produce smarter options, AI-powered and in any other case. With competing manufacturers additionally providing a number of colorways, a brand new end would make the AirPods extra engaging to a sure class of shoppers. That’s to not point out the opposite quality-of-life tweaks that might solely make utilizing the product extra seamless.
Finally, we must always discover out what’s in retailer for us in simply 4 months. Take a look at our recurrently up to date new AirPods superguide for the newest information and rumors.
