No New AirPods Pro Until AirPods Pro 3 Comes in 2026, Says Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo

Highlights

• According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the AirPods Pro 3 won’t arrive until 2026 and may feature Infrared cameras.
• Apple introduced AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation at a lower price.
• While new hardware is delayed, Apple continues improving AirPods Pro 2 with software updates.

Caption – Reports suggest no AirPods Pro 3 are expected until 2026. (Image credit – Apple)

The reports for the next AirPods Pro just got complicated after the recent update shared by well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. It appears we shouldn’t expect a new version of AirPods Pro anytime soon. According to Kuo, there won’t be any major hardware updates to the AirPods lineup this year.

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Kuo revealed that the next big upgrade i.e. AirPods Pro 3 won’t arrive until 2026 and will likely include Infrared cameras. “AirPods may not see significant updates until 2026 (aligning with my earlier prediction that IR camera-equipped AirPods would enter mass production in 2026). A lighter version of the AirPods Max is expected to enter mass production in 2027,” writes Kuo.

AirPods may not see significant updates until 2026 (aligning with my earlier prediction that IR camera-equipped AirPods would enter mass production in 2026). A lighter version of the AirPods Max is expected to enter mass production in 2027.

AirPods可能要到2026年才會有顯著更新…

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) May 18, 2025

This timeline goes against earlier reports that suggested the AirPods Pro 3 might launch in 2025 with features like better active noise cancellation. Considering the AirPods Pro 2 launched back in 2022, a four-year gap between models seems unusually long, especially since it’s Apple’s most popular and most profitable AirPods model.

There were also rumours that the next-gen AirPods Pro would include a heart rate sensor, something that already made its way to the new Powerbeats Pro 4.

Adding to the confusion, Apple introduced the more affordable AirPods 4 lineup last fall, which came with Active Noise Cancellation at a starting price of $179. This move somewhat blurred the gap between standard AirPods and the premium Pro models.

Meanwhile, Apple hasn’t left current AirPods Pro users behind. The company has added new features to the AirPods Pro 2 through regular software updates. The most notable being the AirPods can now function as licensed hearing aids for people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.

Things look even more uncertain for fans of the AirPods Max. Kuo suggests that a new version of the over-ear headphones may not launch until 2027 at the earliest.

FAQs

Q1. When will Apple launch the AirPods Pro 3?

Answer. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that AirPods Pro 3 won’t arrive until 2026 and may include Infrared cameras, contradicting earlier 2025 launch expectations.

Q2. Has Apple introduced new features for current AirPods Pro users?

Answer. Yes! Apple has added features through software updates, including a licensed hearing aid function for AirPods Pro 2 users with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.

Q3. When are the new AirPods Max coming?

Answer. According to Kuo, Apple may not release a new version of the AirPods Max until 2027 at the earliest, suggesting a long wait for over-ear headphone users.

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