Malcolm Owen
Apple's next generation of AirPods Pro is rumored to get a big boost with a new digital active noise cancellation system, which may improve on the existing offering.
Apple's special event on September 9 is likely to have a number of launches alongside the iPhone 16. One chief candidate for an update are the AirPods lines, and the AirPods Pro could get a few small upgrades.
According to serial leaker Kosutami in an X post on Tuesday, new AirPods Pro are on the way with an update to the active noise cancellation feature. It will have a "Digital ANC that [is] much better than [the] previous version," they wrote in the post.
It is unclear exactly what is meant by the digital ANC change, aside from it being an improvement. This likely refers to inbound processing hardware changes.
When asked when the earphone update will take place, they added it will be "soon," without any real extrapolation. This could mean anything from September's event to a much more distant launch time.
Kosutami is a very regular Apple leaker, with a decent track record on their claims. Previous hits include an image of USB-C on an iPhone before the introduction of the iPhone 15, as well as the end of Apple's FineWoven accessory production.
Rumors about Apple's AirPods Pro updates have previously discussed the possibility of a hearing aid mode, building upon existing features such as Conversation Boost and Listen Live. A new design and chip running the earphones has also been proposed.
While a fall launch is entirely possible, rumors have offered that a 2025 release may happen instead.
There have also been speculation that there could be bigger changes in 2026, by adding radar cameras to help adjust audio in real time while wearing the Apple Vision Pro.
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10 Comments
In my opinion, Apple should release an H3 chip on the Airpods Max 2, with improved range, Lossless audio support and better transparency and noise cancellation.
Them offer it at a later date. on the Airpods pro 3.
Make the debut on an expensive product first, and them people will consider the new Airpods Pro a steal.
It is hard to imagine ANC that is "much better" than the current AirPod Pro 2, since it is already mind-bogglingly good, especially for an earbud. In fact, I stopped traveling with my Airpods Max because I found that the ANC of the APP2 was just as good, even though the APM have the advantage of both active and passive noise cancellation. I'll be curious to hear (or not hear) Apple's latest advances in ANC.
I'd like an improvement to the microphone (or processing of sound from the microphone) for phone calls.
I'm told that I sound much better when I use my the microphones in my Studio Display than when I use my AirPods. It's mostly fine for me to use the Studio Display, but sometimes I need to use the AirPods, and it would be nice if people could hear me better.
Time for everyone who gaslit me when I said I wanted way better ANC out of my AirPods Pro 2 to disappear into the ether once they announce something better, as always
After all the reviews and gushing about it I was disappointed to find they let in most high notes, so things like my gym, lawnmower, vacuum, or snow thrower remain not just very loud but by removing mostly low pitches they often get even more shrill and annoying. And yes, I have passed the fit test, tried every tip (both silicon and idea wise), and tried the foam tips which only help very slightly at the expense of instrument separation. You lose the highest tones in your hearing first most often, so I wonder if the people gushing about its ANC performance just have degraded hearing, not in an insulting way but I think that's genuinely an explanation.