Apple to Revolutionize AirPods with Pro 3 Launch and Gesture-Control Model in 2026

Apple is expected to release the AirPods Pro 3 very soon. They might be announced this week at Apple’s special event.

A well-known expert, Ming-Chi Kuo, said Apple will also make a new, better AirPods Pro in 2026. This is unusual because Apple usually waits about three years to change AirPods a lot. The AirPods Pro 2 came out in 2022, and got small updates in 2023.

The 2026 AirPods Pro will have a new feature: a tiny infrared camera. This camera will help users control the AirPods with hand gestures and could work well with Apple’s new Vision Pro headset.

Another source called Instant Digital agrees with this news. They say the 2026 model will be a more expensive, high-end version of the AirPods Pro 3. So, Apple will sell two kinds of AirPods Pro at the same time.

The high-end AirPods might not have pressure sensors. Instead, they will use gesture controls with the new camera. This model will likely cost more than the current $249 AirPods Pro.

According to MacRumors, the AirPods Pro 3 will be shown at Apple’s iPhone 17 event on September 9. The new AirPods will probably have heart rate tracking, a smaller charging case, better sound, and improved noise canceling.