Apple’s recent release of the iOS 26 developer beta has revealed references to an unannounced product: the AirPods Pro 3. This discovery, first reported by MacRumors, was made by contributor Steve Moser, who found the term “AirPods Pro 3” within the beta’s code, specifically in a UI framework related to headphones.
This is the second time Apple’s software has hinted at a new AirPods Pro model, following an earlier update that changed references from “AirPods Pro 2nd Generation” to “AirPods Pro 2 or later,” sparking further speculation.
While Apple has not officially announced any new AirPods hardware, these references support rumors that the AirPods Pro 3 could be launched alongside the iPhone 17 series, likely in September 2025. This would mirror Apple’s previous strategy of launching new AirPods Pro models alongside major iPhone releases, as seen in 2022 with the iPhone 14.
The upcoming AirPods Pro 3 are expected to feature incremental hardware improvements, such as an upgraded H2 chip for better noise cancellation and battery life, though no major design changes have been confirmed in the code so far.
