New Apple AirPods 3 and Pro 2: Price, Release Date, Specs, and News

New AirPods are here. Here's everything you need to know

By
Tim Fisher
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Tim Fisher
Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability
  • Emporia State University
Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire.
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Updated on September 23, 2022
Reviewed by
Michael Barton Heine Jr
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Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr
Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.
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Apple's always got a few more tricks up its sleeve, and its wildly popular AirPods are no exception. The third-gen AirPods arrived in 2021, and the second-gen AirPods Pro arrived in 2022.

AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 Release Date

Apple announced the AirPods 3 on October 18, 2021, along with the new MacBook Pros. You've been able to order the AirPods 3 from Apple.com in the US and more than 26 other countries since October 26, 2021.

The second generation of AirPods Pro was first announced in 2022 during the September 7 Apple event. This is an upgrade to the AirPods released in late 2019. The AirPods Pro (2nd gen) on Apple.com was first available on September 23, 2022.

AirPods 3 and Pro 2 Price

The AirPods (3rd gen) are $179. Apple lets consumers purchase the new AirPods with an interest-free payment plan via its Apple Card credit card, like you could with the previous AirPods lineup.

AirPods 3
AirPods 3.

Apple

The AirPods Pro (2nd gen) are $249.

AirPods Pro 2

Apple

New AirPods Features

Why introduce a new product if it's just like the old one? Apple's no slouch at the marketing game.

Apple AirPods 3 Features

The AirPods 3 feature a new contoured design with a shorter stem than the second generation. It also has the same force sensor as the AirPods Pro. There's also spatial audio (i.e., a 3D-like listening experience) and longer battery life. They come with the H1 chip, so computational audio, according to Apple, helps the new model deliver "breakthrough sound" with Adaptive EQ.

AirPods 3 in ear

Apple

Here are some other notable features:

  • Sweat and water resistance (IPX4 rating).
  • Up to six hours of listening time, and 30 hours of total listening time with the charging case. That's an extra hour over the previous generations. Five minutes of charge time provides an hour of battery life.
  • Dynamic head tracking and spatial audio with Dolby Atmos; this applies to Apple Music, movies, and TV shows.
  • Audio Sharing lets you share audio between two sets of AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max, while using an iOS device or Apple TV.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen) Features

AirPods Pro (2nd gen) offers the following:

  • The H2 chip which Apple says unlocks better audio experiences.
  • A new custom amplifier, an improved sound driver, and better active noise cancellation.
  • Adaptive Transparency to reduce background noise.
  • A touch sensor on the side to swipe for controls.
  • 33% increase in battery life, with up to six hours on a single charge.
  • The case has a speaker on the bottom to make it easier to find using the Find My feature.

AirPods 3 and Pro 2 Specs and Hardware

These are the official tech specs for both AirPods:

AirPods Tech Specs
AirPods 3 AirPods Pro (2nd gen)
Audio Tech: Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking / Adaptive EQ / Custom high-excursion Apple driver / Custom high dynamic range amplifier Active Noise Cancellation / Adaptive EQ / Custom high-excursion Apple driver / Custom high dynamic range amplifier
Sensors: Dual beamforming microphones / Inward-facing microphone / Skin-detect sensor / Motion-detecting accelerometer / Speech-detecting accelerometer / Force sensor Dual beamforming microphones / Inward-facing microphone / Skin-detect sensor / Motion-detecting accelerometer / Speech-detecting accelerometer / Touch control
Chip: H1 headphone chip H2 headphone chip
Controls: Press once to play, pause, or answer a phone call / Press twice to skip forward / Press three times to skip back / Press and hold for Siri / Say “Hey Siri” to do things like play a song, make a call, or get directions Press once to play, pause, or answer a phone call / Press twice to skip forward / Press three times to skip back / Say “Hey Siri” for hands-free controls
Resistance: Sweat and water resistant (IPX4) Sweat and water resistant (IPX4)
Size and Weight: 1.21 inches tall / 0.72 inches wide / 0.76 inches deep / 0.15 oz 1.22 inches tall / 0.86 inches wide / 0.94 inches deep / 0.19 oz
Charging Case: Works with MagSafe charger, Qi-certified chargers, or the Lightning connector Works with MagSafe charger, Qi-certified chargers, or the Lightning connector
Battery: AirPods: Up to 6 hrs listening time / up to 4 hrs talk time With Case: Up to 30 hrs listening time / up to 20 hrs talk time / 5 min in case provides 1 hr listening time or 1 hr talk time AirPods: Up to 6 hrs listening time / up to 4.5 hrs talk time With Case: Up to 30 hrs listening time / up to 24 hours talk time / 5 min in the case provides 1 hr listening time or 1 hr talk time
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.3
Accessibility: Live Listen audio / headphone levels / headphone accommodations Live Listen Audio / headphone levels / headphone accommodations / Conversation Boost

The Latest News About Apple AirPods

You can get more Smart & Connected Life news from Lifewire on all kinds of topics; here are some stories specific to Apple's update to its AirPods product line.

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