Overview

• Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple’s silicon team is building an H3 chip for upcoming AirPods to reduce lag and boost audio performance, though no launch timing or first recipient model is specified.
• Apple is said to be developing a new high-end AirPods Pro variant following last month’s AirPods Pro 3 release, with branding and release plans not yet clear.
• Two tiers of AirPods 5 are reportedly in development for the entry and mid ranges, and the heart‑rate sensor introduced in AirPods Pro 3 is not expected to migrate to these models.
• Apple is exploring tiny infrared cameras for higher-end AirPods to enable new features and tighter integration with devices like Vision Pro, according to reporting and analyst notes.
• Current AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4 use the H2 chip, underscoring why a next‑generation H3 is now in development despite recent hardware-focused updates.