AirPods Pro 3 — What’s new?
The AirPods Pro 3 introduce a headline feature: live translation of languages. Apple says when both people in a conversation wear AirPods Pro 3 the earbuds can translate conversations in near real time — a major push to make in-ear devices act as a practical translator for travelers and international teams. Apple priced the new AirPods Pro 3 at $249 (same as the previous generation) and set availability for September 19, 2025.
AirPods Pro 3 — Quick specs
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Price | $249 (U.S.) |
| Release date | September 19, 2025 |
| Live translation | Near-real-time two-way translation between two wearers |
| Noise cancellation | Improved Active Noise Cancellation (refined algorithms) |
| Health sensors (rumored) | Two additional sensors reported (may include motion/biometric sensing) — unconfirmed details reported by leaks. |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.x, deep iOS integration (Translate app, Siri support) |
| Battery | Similar to previous generation (expect improvements via efficiency) |
How translation works: Apple integrates AirPods functionality with iPhone translation services and iOS Translate features. For best performance you’ll likely need iOS 19+ and the Translate app running or integrated OS-level translation support. Early reports indicate the translation experience ties into iOS translation improvements planned for this fall.
iPhone Air — a slimmer iPhone and a folding precursor
Apple’s new lineup includes an ultra-thin model nicknamed the iPhone Air. Analysts say the Air sits between the standard and Pro models in the lineup and could be a stepping stone toward a foldable iPhone next year — a strategic move to compete with Samsung’s popular Galaxy foldables in markets like China. The Apple event also highlighted that while incremental upgrades are expected for Apple Watch and other products, the iPhone Air is the headline.
iPhone Air — rumored / expected specs
| Feature | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Ultra-thin chassis, possibly aluminum frame; trade-offs for battery/camera size |
| Display | High-quality OLED; model may prioritize thinness over multi-camera arrays |
| Processor | Next-gen A-series chipset (A19 family likely in 2025 lineup) |
| Camera | Scaled-down camera stack to preserve thin profile (rumors vary) |
| Market position | Mid-to-high tier—competes directly with Samsung’s S25 Edge and foldable strategy |
Business & AI context: tariffs and Siri
Apple is unveiling these products amid mounting supply-chain pressure and U.S. tariff changes — the company estimates tariffs could cost it over $1 billion in the current fiscal quarter. Analysts are watching pricing strategies closely: Apple may keep base iPhone prices stable while raising prices for higher-storage variants to offset costs.
On AI: major upgrades for Siri were delayed until next year. Apple has begun partnering with OpenAI (and may pursue other AI partners) to bring generative AI features into iOS, but a fully revamped Siri is expected in a later cycle.
