AirPods Pro 3 leaked in an Apple code leak — the release date

The leak in Apple's software code hinted at the imminent release of AirPods Pro 3. The found line indicates that the company is already preparing its systems for the new headphones.

It was reported by 9to5Mac.

What does the new line of code show?

The researcher Aaron Perris noticed in the recent Apple software update that the line that used to require "AirPods Pro 2nd Generation" now contains the wording "AirPods Pro 2 or later". It means that the task, which until now has only worked with the second generation, will soon support the third one, and Apple developers are preparing the software for this change in advance.

Does the discovery indicate an immediate release? Theoretically, the company could surprise at WWDC, but a traditional autumn debut along with the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and Pro Max, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and other new products seems more likely. Both previous versions of AirPods Pro were released in autumn, so Apple often combines the presentation of flagship headphones with the launch of new smartphones.

AirPods Pro 3 is expected to feature an H3 chip, improved active noise cancellation, and other new features that should improve sound quality and user experience.

As a reminder, Apple is developing the new feature for AirPods that will allow for real-time translation of personal conversations. This feature is expected to become available with the release of iOS 19 and the new version of the headphones' firmware.

We also wrote that Apple continues to experiment with the concept of AirPods with built-in cameras. In his Power On newsletter, the reputable insider Mark Gurman mentioned the potential integration of cameras into future models, though without giving any details on their purpose.