Apple may launch the AirPods Pro 3, the next generation of its popular wireless earbuds, possibly alongside the iPhone 16 series. The tech giant recently announced that it will hold its annual fall event called ‘It’s Glow Time’ on September 9 at 10:30 pm IST. During the event, Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 16 series, Watch 10, and the next-generation AirPods Pro 3. According to reports, the AirPods Pro 3 will offer better active noise cancellation (ANC) than the current AirPods Pro 2.

According to leaker Kosutami, the AirPods Pro 3 will feature significant improvements to noise cancellation, described as “digital ANC”. This suggests that Apple is likely to bring massive improvements from software upgrades and advanced audio processing techniques rather than changes to the physical design of the earbuds. Notably, the AirPods Pro 2 released nearly two years ago already feature “more than twice” the ANC than the original AirPods Pro, so the upcoming model is expected to further upgrade the device.

While the information leaked about the device by Kosutami has been roughly accurate in the past, the timeline for the AirPods Pro 3 release remains uncertain. There have been reports before about the AirPods Pro 3 coming “soon”. However, the rumours were slowed down by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who suggested a 2025 release with new health features, an updated audio chip, and more.

Meanwhile, Apple also has refreshes planned for the rest of the AirPods lineup. The company is rumoured to announce new low-end and mid-tier AirPods 4 models at its upcoming September 9 event. These models are expected to offer a better in-ear fit, improved sound quality, and a revised design for the USB-C charging case. Notably, the affordable AirPods 4 are also expected to feature active noise cancellation, bringing this capability to a wider audience.

In addition, there are also rumors that the AirPods Max will get a small update later this year, replacing the Lightning connector with a USB-C port. However, no major new features or performance improvements are expected for the over-ear headphones at this time.

Along with the next-generation AirPods, Apple is also expected to announce the new iPhone 16 series at its September 9 event. This year, the series is expected to include the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, bringing enhanced functionalities including a new capture button, action buttons on all four devices, A18 chips, improved battery life, and more. All iPhone 16 models will also come with support for Apple Intelligence, Apple’s AI platform, which offers users a suite of AI features for an upgraded smartphone experience.