If you thought the active noise cancellation on AirPods Pro 2 was brilliant, Apple has set a new benchmark with the AirPods Pro 3 (₹25,900). It offers what the company calls the “world’s best in-ear active noise cancellation,” without the vacuum-like sensation that usually accompanies the technology.
The foam-infused ear tips are the secret to greater noise isolation. Apple claims this enables twice the ANC of the previous generation of AirPods Pro. We tried it, and it works. Perhaps the biggest update to the new AirPods is the fit. They are far more comfortable and provide a higher level of noise isolation.
Here are some features that may sway your decision.
Better fit
With AirPods Pro 3, you can monitor heart rate. Picture: Mathures Paul
One of the most significant changes is a subtle design tweak. At first glance, it doesn’t look very different from the AirPods Pro 2. It still has the white plastic design. Even though the case looks similar, Apple has made a series of small adjustments that have a big impact on comfort. The earbuds are smaller, and the bulb housing the speaker driver is reduced in size. This means the buds are less likely to pop out of your ears. Apple also developed new foam-infused ear tips that combine the best of foam and silicone tips. The foam interior is more compressive and conforms more easily to the shape of your ear canal. We tried the new ear tips on the AirPods Pro 3—and they work like a charm.
Personalised Spatial Audio
There’s a Spatial Audio section in settings. Select Personalised Spatial Audio, remove your AirPods, and follow the prompts to scan your ears. It’s not very different from setting up Face ID. Spatial Audio remains one of the best features of owning AirPods.
Head gestures
You can control your AirPods Pro 3 with head gestures. Enable two options in settings: announce calls and head gestures. There are two actions—nod your head up and down to accept a call or reply to a message, or shake your head side to side to dismiss notifications. It’s very convenient.
Conversation Awareness
This feature detects when you start speaking and automatically lowers your media volume while enhancing nearby voices. Your AirPods then return to normal settings when the conversation ends or no voices are detected. You can enable it in the audio section of your AirPods settings.
Try Live Translation
This also works with AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC, as long as you’re paired to an iPhone running iOS 26 with Apple Intelligence. The feature lets you converse with someone in a supported language. To start Live Translation, press both AirPod stems simultaneously, or ask Siri to begin. A chime confirms readiness. From there, you can talk using your iPhone to follow a transcript and reply, or if the other person also has compatible AirPods, chat face-to-face. It’s useful for travel, and Apple promises more languages soon.
Heart Rate Sensor
With AirPods Pro 3, you can monitor heart rate. The readings can sync with a third-party app or, more interestingly, track workouts directly in the Fitness app. Each earbud has a heart rate sensor, so you don’t need an Apple Watch if you only want heart rate monitoring. Built-in sensors on the AirPods also reduce Apple Watch battery drain. When wearing your AirPods, launch the Fitness app and choose a workout category. Studies show that for strength training—where wrist movement is limited—tracking from the ear is highly effective.
Camera Remote
You can also use your AirPods Pro to control your iPhone camera. Go to camera control, then tap camera remote and set your preferred gesture. With at least one AirPod paired, open the camera app, select photo or video, frame your shot, and use the gesture to capture an image or start recording remotely.
Check Battery
Many want to know how to check AirPods battery life. This applies to all models. Simply create a battery widget and add it to your iPhone’s home screen. Long press on a blank area, tap the plus icon at the top left, select Batteries, and add it. You’ll then always know the battery status of both the buds and the case.
Rename AirPods
If you own multiple pairs, it’s easier to rename them. Open AirPods settings, tap “Name,” and type whatever you prefer.
EQ settings
The default EQ works well for most, but you can adjust it. In music settings, select EQ and experiment while listening until you find the best match. My favourite is jazz.
AirPods sharing
When watching with a friend, you can share AirPods. A simple way is disabling automatic ear detection. This way, if you remove an earbud, the music continues playing—hand it to your friend. There’s also audio sharing. Tap the earbud icon in Apple Music, select the extra earbuds icon, then choose Audio Sharing and select a device.
Microphone setting
In settings, you can dedicate either earbud as the main microphone, or leave it on automatic, which defaults to the first bud you put on.