Apple Reportedly Working on AirPods Pro 3 With Heart Rate Feature - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Reportedly Working on AirPods Pro 3 With Heart Rate Feature

by

Apple is working on a variety of health features for future AirPods, including heart rate monitoring and temperature sensing, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

AirPods 4 Ambient Light Heart Health Sensor Feature
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the heart rate technology could be ready for the AirPods Pro 3, which are in "early development" within the company.

AirPods getting heart rate monitoring would allow more customers to access this capability for health and fitness purposes, without needing to wear an Apple Watch. In internal testing, Apple has found that heart rate data is "more accurate" on the Apple Watch compared to AirPods, but he said the AirPods "aren't terribly far off."

Apple's upcoming Powerbeats Pro 2 will also offer heart rate monitoring during workouts. Based on our iOS 18 code findings, you will be able to connect the Powerbeats Pro 2 to gym equipment like a treadmill to measure heart rate, and the data will be visible in the Health app and other supported apps on the iPhone.

Apple previously announced that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will be released in 2025, but it is not entirely clear when the AirPods Pro 3 will launch.

As a longer-term goal, Gurman reiterated that Apple plans to add small cameras to future AirPods to enable unspecified AI-powered features. This project is now a "priority" for Apple, but likely still a few years away from completion, he said.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro 3
Tag: Mark Gurman
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

Apple Foldable Thumb

'iPhone Ultra' Will Solve Two Key Problems

Saturday April 11, 2026 8:40 am PDT by
Apple reportedly plans to unveil a foldable iPhone in September, and the device will supposedly solve two problems with foldable smartphones. In case you missed it, a leaker on Chinese social media platform Weibo recently claimed that the foldable iPhone will be named "iPhone Ultra." According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the device will have improved screen quality and overall durability...
Read Full Article • 204 comments
Apple Glasses Blue Feature

Apple Testing Four Smart Glasses Styles Made of High-End Materials

Monday April 13, 2026 2:29 am PDT by
Apple is developing at least four different styles of smart glasses, and the company is betting that their superior design will set them apart from rival products, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that Apple's latest designs are made from a high-end material called acetate, which is "more durable and luxurious" than the standard...
Read Full Article • 113 comments
apple intelligence black

Apple's AI Chief John Giannandrea Departs This Week

Monday April 13, 2026 4:23 am PDT by
John Giannandrea, Apple's former head of artificial intelligence, is set to leave the company this week as his final stock vesting date approaches. In his "Power On" newsletter, Mark Gurman noted that Giannandrea's exit has been a prolonged one. Apple moved to dramatically reduce his role in March 2025 following the disappointing launch of Apple Intelligence and ongoing delays to the Siri...
Read Full Article • 46 comments

Top Rated Comments

J
JCCL
18 months ago
Hope there is a version without it. Why would I want heart rate measurements in my earbuds? I already have an Apple Watch. How about lossless audio? These are earbuds, please make audio related improvements.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nortonandreev Avatar
nortonandreev
18 months ago
AirPods Pro 3, which are in "early development" within the company?

I thought they were supposed to be out in 2025?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
StoneJack Avatar
StoneJack
18 months ago
no one asked for this feature
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lanomds1 Avatar
lanomds1
18 months ago
A feature no one is asking for. I don’t understand why apple is doing redundant choices like putting heart rate monitoring on the AirPods Pro when the Apple Watch already does that quite well. Am I missing something here?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Joseph C Avatar
Joseph C
18 months ago

AirPods Pro 3, which are in "early development" within the company?

I thought they were supposed to be out in 2025?
My thoughts exactly when I read this. WTF? They're overdue IMO but we might not see them til 2026 at this rate.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J
JCCL
18 months ago

Way more accurate measurements. Apple Watch is prone to cadence lock, for example
Apple Watch is accurate enough. I had a cardiac stress test done in a hospital earlier this year. Compared the output of the watch to the one the test was getting and it was always within 1 or 2 bpm off at most.

Plus if you read the article, it actually says the AirPods are not as accurate as an Apple Watch, so not sure where are you getting “way more accurate measurements” from.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments