Apple is reportedly going to introduce a new AirPods Pro model this year, together with the iPhone 17 lineup in September. Now, reputable insider Mark Gurman claims that the Cupertino tech giant is planning to add a key feature to the upcoming AirPods Pro 3: heart rate monitoring.
In Gurman's Power On newsletter, the insider adds that there will be new AirPods Pro earbuds with potential heart-rate monitoring. The feature isn't entirely new; Apple has already introduced heart rate monitoring on the Powerbeats Pro 2 earlier in the year.
Basically, when both Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds are in your ears, the heart rate monitoring feature is active. LED optical sensors pulse over 100 times per second, and this way, they measure heart rate via blood flow, according to Apple. The feature is able to integrate with popular fitness apps to collect data during workouts. Then, the data also gets synced to Apple's Health app on your iPhone.
AirPods Pro 2. | Image Credit - Apple
The feature uses the Apple Watch's heart rate sensing technology in order to work. If you're wearing both an Apple Watch and the Powerbeats Pro 2, though, the apps default to using the timepiece's heart rate data. It's quite possible the situation will be the same with the heart rate monitoring on the upcoming AirPods Pro 3.
How useful would heart rate monitoring in AirPods Pro 3 be for your workouts?
Game-changer — I’d use it all the time
33.33%
Nice addition, but I’ll still rely on my watch
33.33%
Not useful — I already track my heart rate elsewhere
22.22%
Meh, I don’t track heart rate at all
11.11%
Whether this feature will actually change your workouts depends on how you use it, though. If you're already tracking heart rate through an Apple Watch or other fitness device, the AirPods Pro 3 might be redundant. But for people who prefer lightweight gear or want real-time heart rate feedback during runs, cycling, or gym sessions without an extra device, it could make workouts more intuitive and help you hit your target zones more easily.
That said, it won't replace full-featured fitness wearables, so think of it as a convenient supplement rather than a complete game-changer.
Meanwhile, apart from this feature, the AirPods Pro 3 are said to come with improvements to sound quality, better active noise cancellation, and potentially, a design change.
The current AirPods Pro model, the AirPods Pro 2, was launched back in September of 2022. So it's been quite a while, and it's about time they get a successor. The AirPods Pro 2 got updated with a USB-C charging case in September 2023.
The Apple event is expected to happen on September 9 (Apple itself leaked it). We expect to see a new iPhone 17 Air model, a super-slim competitor to the Galaxy S25 Edge, a new camera island design to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, and Apple Watch models during the event as well.
I am personally eager to see what other improvements the new AirPods Pro 3 will bring, and I may be in for an upgrade this year. It seems this September event is bound to be exciting.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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