After releasing AirPods Pro 3 last month, Apple is already working on the next AirPods Pro, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
It is unclear if the new AirPods Pro would be branded as AirPods Pro 4, or if they would be considered an updated version of AirPods Pro 3. Gurman did not take a position, opting to describe them as a "new version" of the "high-end in-ear buds."
AirPods Pro 2 were updated with a USB-C charging case and a few other tweaks a year after they launched, without receiving a name change.
Last month, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the AirPods Pro would receive "more significant" hardware upgrades next year, including at least one tiny infrared camera. A leaker on Chinese platform Weibo subsequently claimed that these would be a higher-end AirPods Pro 3 option, rather than AirPods Pro 4. This would be similar to the standard AirPods 4, which are available in two configurations, with and without active noise cancellation.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple is developing its next-generation H3 chip for wireless audio, with improved sound quality and lower latency. It would make sense for this chip to be included in the next AirPods Pro, but Gurman did not explicitly mention which AirPods models the chip will debut in, or when.
Apple is also developing two tiers of AirPods 5, according to Gurman.
AirPods Pro 3 offer heart rate monitoring during workouts, but Gurman does not anticipate this feature extending to the AirPods 5. He said Apple is planning several new health features for future AirPods, though, such as temperature sensing.
Gurman reiterated that Apple is considering adding cameras to at least some AirPods models. Kuo previously said AirPods with infrared cameras would support in-air gestures, and enable deeper integration between AirPods and the Vision Pro.
AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4 are equipped with the H2 chip, which debuted in the AirPods Pro 2. The over-ear AirPods Max still have an H1 chip.
Kuo previously said new AirPods Max would enter mass production in 2027.
