Overview
- Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, leaker Instant Digital, and Bloomberg reporting indicate Apple plans a higher-end AirPods Pro variant this year, though the company has not confirmed it.
- The model is expected to sit alongside the 2025 AirPods Pro 3 rather than replace it, creating a new tier in the lineup.
- A tiny infrared camera is reportedly the headline hardware change, enabling hand-gesture recognition and deeper spatial audio features with Vision Pro.
- Sources suggest Apple could drop physical pressure sensors on this version and may introduce a next‑generation H3 audio chip, but both details remain unconfirmed.
- Pricing is expected to come in above the $249 AirPods Pro 3, with reports pointing to roughly $299 or higher, and timing is unannounced though Apple often debuts AirPods in the second half of the year.