AirPods 3 release date: Everything we know about Apple’s next AirPods

The incredibly popular Apple AirPods have managed to turn a pair of wireless earbuds into a modern-day status symbol. Although they have yet to be officially announced, a new iteration at some point in the future is all but certain.

There are rumours circulating about everything from a revamped design to noise cancellation features. There’s still some time to go before we’re likely to hear anything official, but we’ll do our best to keep you in the loop as we keep an ear out for all the leaks and rumours surrounding Apple’s next generation of ‘buds.

Apple AirPods 3: Everything we know so far

Apple AirPods 3 release date: When will they be released?

The first-gen Apple AirPods launched in March of 2016, while the second-gen launched the same time earlier this year.

Seeing as the AirPods 3 didn’t make an appearance at the Apple iPhone 11 launch in September, it’s likely that the new Apple AirPods won’t make an appearance until March 2020 at the earliest. Considering the AirPods 2 recently received a minor upgrade, we could see the new AirPods even later than that.

Given the three-year window between the original AirPods and the AirPods 2, it might even be the case that the AirPods 3 won't launch until 2022. We’d wager that it will be sooner than that, though as a report from the China Economic Daily declares that the new earbuds - likely to be deemed the AirPods Pro - may make its official appearance before the month ends.

READ NEXT: Best wireless earbuds

Apple AirPods 3 price: How much will they cost?

Pricing information is very premature at this stage. We do know that the second-generation AirPods hit the shelves for £159 with the standard charging case, and £199 with a wireless charging case.

Judging from those costs, and considering the new added features we expect the AirPods 3 to flog for somewhere in the region of £160 - £200, with the latter including a wireless charging case.

It would surely be a surprise if the charging price of the AirPods 3 exceeds £200, in which case we would expect some major upgrades to justify the high price tag.

Apple AirPods 3 design: What will they look like?

A leaked photo of an AirPods 3 prototype surfaced via Rieplhuber on Twitter, giving a glimpse into the potential new design direction for the next iteration of Apple earbuds.

The image includes an interchangeable tip for greater personalised comfort. They’re reminiscent of Apple’s old wired EarPods in both shape and design.

The images above are originally based on the iOS 3.2 beta grayscale design that 9to5Mac spotted. Compared to the AirPods 1 and 2, the set appear to feature a more elongated in-ear shape along with a shorter stem, not to mention the silicone rubber tips that accompany the in-ear fronts.

According to 9to5Google, Apple are looking to improve comfort as they introduce these swappable rubber tips. Users previously complained that the one-size-fits-all approach meant that the earbuds didn’t sit securely enough, so this could be a welcomed change.

Images of what are presumed to be the next gen AirPods were also leaked on SlashLeaks , which also seem to feature space for the silicon tips featured in other mock-ups. These images were tweeted by Bloomsburg’s Mark Gurman, who initially reported that Apple would unveil new earbuds in 2019.

New Charging Case

A leaked image from phone accessories vendour ESR has revealed the possible design of the Airpods 3 wireless charging case via their AirPods Pro Cover & Case webpage . It appears to be wider than the charging case assigned to previous models.

READ NEXT: Best iPhone11 case

Apple AirPods 3 features: What will they do differently?

Some rumours suggest features such as noise cancellation and improved water resistance will be incorporated into the new earbuds.

The 9to5Mac report referenced what may be called ‘focus mode’, allowing users to enable or disable the noise cancellation. The report also suggests that the new AirPods may have different listening modes available. This would be a big step-up from the AirPods 2 and perhaps explains why the new AirPods may launch so soon after its predecessor.

We’ll be updating this page as we keep an ear out for any more information on the AirPods 3.