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,” minus the vacuum-like feel that usually comes with the technology.
The foam-infused ear tips are the secret sauce for greater noise isolation. Apple says 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 pair of AirPods is the feel inside the ear. They are far more comfortable and offer a much higher level of noise isolation.
The new multiport acoustic architecture allows improved airflow control. It also enhances the Adaptive EQ, widening the soundstage with better bass response.
It helps that the AirPods Pro 3 come with a new heart rate sensor. The company is using its smallest heart rate sensor yet, a custom photoplethysmography (PPG) unit that “shines invisible infrared light pulsed 256 times per second to measure light absorption in blood flow.”
Why would anyone need a heart rate sensor inside earbuds? Many people do strenuous exercises like weightlifting. Once you put extreme strain on your arms, a smartwatch may not be the best device for certain workouts. Here, the earbuds come in handy. Also, many people don’t want to wear a smartwatch but are happy to combine wireless earbuds with the iPhone.
For the first time, users can use AirPods Pro 3 to measure heart rate and track over 50 workout types with the new experience in the Fitness app on iPhone.
With iOS 26, Live Translation will be an important feature. It’s as real-time as you can imagine, even when conversing with someone who speaks German, a language where verbs often land in different places than in English.
Live Translation is coming to AirPods, making face-to-face conversations easier by helping users connect even if they don’t speak the same language.
The technology shines when both users wear their own AirPods with Live Translation enabled on their iPhones. ANC on AirPods lowers the volume of the other person speaking so it’s easier to focus on the translation while staying connected in the interaction.
Live Translation on AirPods is available in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish, and will expand to four more languages by the end of the year: Italian, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese.
