Bad news for Apple accessory fans, especially those hoping to upgrade their AirPods soon. According to GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu, the AirPods Pro 3 won’t be released until 2026, effectively dispelling rumors that they would be updated in a few months. This is very strange, considering the previous rumors regarding their release. Should we take this new information with a grain of salt?
Apple could postpone the launch of its AirPods Pro 3 for another year.
Previous rumors indicated that they would be close to launching sometime this year, by the end of 2025. The analyst’s prediction focuses on the AirPods Pro 3, the Apple Watch Series 12, and a refreshed Apple Vision Pro in 2026, with 2027 being a year that would be incredible, with an Air version of the Apple Vision and smart glasses. The Apple Watch would finally get a long-awaited feature like blood pressure monitoring.
The AirPods Pro 3 looked closer because Apple updated the Powerbeats Pro 2 with a heart rate monitoring feature, which is also expected to be incorporated into the AirPods. The AirPods Pro 2 were launched in September 2022 and, a year later, were updated only by the charging case, which is compatible with USB-C.
Mark Gurman claimed earlier this year that AirPods Pro 3 were “a few months away .” Code from the first iOS 26 beta includes a reference to the aforementioned earbuds, as spotted by Steve Moser. Only Ming-Chi Kuo was the only one to predicted that AirPods wouldn’t get any significant updates this year, but wouldn’t get them until 2026. There was no clarification as to which model he was referring to, but it could indicate the Pro model.
Apple will focus on the iPhone, Apple Watch, and HomePod
Jeff Pu pointed out through the timeline, shared on X by @jukanIosreve, the relevance of other products this year. The iPhone 17 series, the Apple Watch Series 11, and the Ultra 3. What is most striking is that the HomePad is already considered, although without a precise date. Apple could surprise us in September with this new product, although there are no recent rumors to confirm it.
Thanks to the updates the AirPods Pro 2 have received over the years, the feeling of needing a new release or generation hasn’t been felt at all. It’s incredible that Apple has been able to make them more useful thanks to these updates. The hearing health feature has been one of the biggest revelations, especially in helping people with hearing loss.
We might expect new features in the AirPods Pro 3 that would take them to the next level of quality, but we can’t forget that the current ones are meeting all of their users’ demands and have gone beyond expectations. Is it right for Apple to decide to launch them in 2026?
