The AirPods Pro 2 are still a standout pair of earbuds in the ANC category. They’re comfortable, sound really good, and feature some stellar noise canceling. They are over two years old now though, and in earbuds terms, that means positively ancient. The competition has caught up and overtaken them in features, ANC, and sound now — so Apple will likely have to do something to bring them back to the top of the tree.
But what are the features that I’d like to see out of Apple’s next pair of earbuds? How do I think they’re going to be able to retake the crown as the best noise-canceling earbuds? I’ve made a list of the five features that I think would bring the AirPods Pro 3 back up to speed.
1. Improve the noise-canceling
The noise canceling on the AirPods Pro 2 could never be called bad. It still blocks out plenty of noise, making for more comfortable commutes and journeys. Pop your earbuds in, and the world around you is dulled. But other competitors have now implemented better ANC into their flagship earbuds, and its made the AirPods Pro 2 feel out of date.
The Sony WF-1000XM5, for example, feature much better noise-blocking abilities. They’re a more rounded ANC experience that manages to block out more of the outside world. Then there are the excellent Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, where the noise canceling almost feels like magic as you’re sealed in your own little audio vacuum — just you and your tunes.
The AirPods Pro 3 need to bring better ANC in order to be considered amongst the very best again — because everyone else has just made the old model feel old.
2. More battery life
When they launched, the 6-hour battery life of the AirPods Pro 2 didn’t seem that bad. It was enough to last most short to mid-length journeys, and given they won’t ever be too far from their charging case it never felt too short — although you can always wish for more staying power.
Since then though we’ve seen some other launches that come with more battery life. The WF-1000XM5 have an extra 2 hours of battery life over the AirPods Pro 2, for example. Then there’s Cambridge Audio’s Melomania M100 which have 10 hours of staying power with ANC on. It’s all rounded out by the Beats Solo Buds and their incredible bud-bound 18-hour battery life, which makes everything else seem like five minutes.
The AirPods Pro 3 don’t necessarily need the best battery life of all — but more than the 6 hours of the older model would be a welcome change for those longer journeys, work days, or revision sessions.
3. Better sound
It goes without saying that the AirPods Pro 2 sound good. They’ve got a kind of neutral sound signature that doesn’t put too much weight towards the lows or the highs. They’re a pleasant listening experience, but never one that makes you go "wow, this is some really great sounding music! I’ll investigate the rest of my library to see what it sounds like”.
Other earbuds have been launched that sound better than the AirPods Pro 2. Sony’s WF-1000XM5 are a better-sounding bud, with more detail and a more pleasingly warm sound signature. Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 true wireless have a more spacious sound stage, greater detail and more clarity in the highs. We’re getting more audiophile-grade earbuds in the form of the likes of the Noble Fokus Rex5, which sound phenomenal.
The AirPods Pro 2 are coming up against some stiff audio competition — and they really need to step their game up if they want to compete. Give us a little more low-end please Apple, and up the detail.
4. Drop the stems
Look, I know that the stems of AirPods are not only a great way to control your earbuds, but also a quintessential part of the branding. But I think they’re getting a bit dated at this point. While we may well have gotten used to having them hanging from our ears, I still think they can make it feel weird in the ear when I press the controls and end up twisting them in my ears slightly.
I don’t think I’ll see this one happen — Apple is unlikely to drop one of the most recognizable parts of its flagship earbuds — but I’d like to see a different kind of control method on the buds that brings something new to the table. Something innovative rather than iterative, that really shows the kind of design that we know Apple is capable of.
5. Improved Spatial Audio
There was a time when I was a Spatial Audio skeptic. It was never going to sound as good as proper stereo, etc etc. I am not a skeptic anymore — although it wasn't the AirPods Pro 2 that made me change my mind. If anything they were one of the reasons I believed Spatial Audio wasn’t all that impressive, with thin-sounding 3D audio, and spotty support for the standard across different streaming platforms.
The Sonos Ace (even though they're overhead headphones) proved to me that Spatial Audio could be worth some time. Since then there have been other earbuds that have shown me that Spatial Audio is here to stay — and if Apple wants the AirPods Pro 3 to be something special, then excellent Dolby Atmos audio could well be the best way.
Improve the way they handle Spatial mixes and we could have something really great on our hands. If nothing else, it would give them a crucial extra selling point to cover their rivals. With Apple Music’s ever-improving library of Spatial Audio tracks, it is high time its best earbuds where able to show off how good the standard is becoming.
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