While many observers believe Apple will launch its AirPods Pro 3 sometime this year, analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong says the wireless earbuds won’t hit store shelves until 2026.
In a timeline posted to X by @jukanlosreve, Pu offer predictions on the release timeline of several Apple products, including the AirPods Pro 3.
Pu’s predictions fly in the face of a February prediction by Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman that new AirPods with heart rate monitoring were “months away,” indicating a late 2025 launch at the earliest. Code references to AirPods Pro 3 have also been found in the iOS 26 beta.
There are analyst that appear to agree with Pu, however, as well-connected industry observer Ming-Chi Kuo recently said AirPods may not be significantly updated until 2026, when he expects to see IR camera-equipped AirPods enter mass production. It should be noted that Kuo did not specify if he was writing about the standard non-Pro AirPods.
Traditionally, Apple has unveiled major AirPods upgrades alongside its new iPhone models each September, meaning if Apple sticks to its historic timeline, we’ll see the new AirPods Pro 3 this September. The AirPods Pro 2 launched in September 2022, so a new model is a bit overdue.
Pu also made other predictions about Apple’s upcoming release timeline. Information about his predictions can be found here.