Apple sticks to its usual approach with the AirPods Pro 3, focusing more on improvements under the hood than drastic design changes.

So the clean white case with its familiar rounded-square shape is still here. And since the second-gen already made the switch to USB-C, it’s no surprise that the new generation uses the same charging standard.

However, the earbuds themselves have gone through some serious refinement. Apple analyzed over 10,000 ear scans and spent more than 100,000 hours on user research to make the AirPods Pro 3 the most secure and best-fitting AirPods yet. To achieve this, the internal design was completely reworked, making each AirPod smaller, while the external geometry of the ear tip was realigned to the center of the body for better stability.

The new foam-infused ear tips come in five sizes now, including a new XXS option, ensuring an even more comfortable and secure in-ear fit.

Apple also increased durability with IP57 sweat and water resistance, so the AirPods Pro 3 can handle tough workouts and unpredictable weather without breaking a sweat.The AirPods Pro 3 continue to use the H2 chip from the previous generation but bring several notable upgrades.They feature a new multiport acoustic architecture that precisely controls airflow into the ear, enhancing spatial audio for a more immersive listening experience. Combined with next-generation Adaptive EQ, the earbuds improve bass response, widen the soundstage, and deliver clearer vocals across music, shows, and calls.

Fitness features are enhanced with Apple’s smallest custom heart rate sensor and a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor that pulses invisible infrared light 256 times per second to measure blood flow. Combined with accelerometers, gyroscope, GPS, and a new on-device AI model on iPhone, users can track up to 50 workout types, monitor heart rate and calories burned, close their Move ring, and earn Fitness app awards.

The Workout Buddy feature uses Apple Intelligence

to provide personalized insights based on a user’s workout data and history. Apple Fitness+ users can also see real-time metrics like heart rate, calories burned, Move ring progress, and the Burn Bar directly on-screen.

Live Translation is available in beta, enabling hands-free in-person communication across select languages. It uses computational audio and Apple Intelligence to translate speech in real time during conversations, with an option to display live transcription on iPhone for those without the feature.

Supported languages include English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish, with Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified) coming later this year.