AirPods Pro 3 ANC might not be as improved as we hoped — my disappointment? Immeasurable. My day? Ruined.

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What are we even doing here?

AirPods Pro
(Image credit: Regan Coule/Tom's Guide)

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The AirPods Pro 3 are likely to make their first official appearance at today's "Awe dropping" event, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Apple's latest best earbuds have to offer.

If you're expecting big noise-canceling improvements, however, it looks like you'll be disappointed when Tim Cook pulls them from his pocket. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, we're not going to get the ANC enhancements we've been looking forward to.

Which sucks.

Where's my ANC Apple?

When the AirPods Pro 2 launched in 2022, they had very good noise canceling in comparison to the closest rivals from Sony and Bose. They ranked at the top of our list of the best noise-canceling earbuds for a long time — until the competition turned up the dial and left them in the proverbial dust.

Now, the WF-1000XM5 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 have superior noise canceling that blocks out loads more noise than the AirPods Pro 2. In order to stand up to the now much more impressive competition, the AirPods Pro really have to improve on their noise canceling by quite a margin.

And yet, Gurman arrives to squish our expectations and crush our ANC dreams. He took to X to report that we shouldn't "expect major audio/ANC improvements." That's a massive shame, and it does make me start to wonder about how well they're going to stack up against the best earbuds.

So what are we getting?

If this proves true and the AirPods Pro 3 aren't going to sound better or block out more noise than the old model, we're looking elsewhere for compelling reasons to buy. One of the biggest new features that's pegged for the buds at the moment is the inclusion of more health features, like a heart rate monitor.

It does make me wonder, however. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo yesterday reported there's going to be a further improved model launched in 2026, with an extra sensor inside. Those could well bring the improvements we're looking for in sound and ANC.

So why are we getting a new pair of buds if there's an even more impressive pair launching next year? Mayhaps it's a new, more premium option. "The AirPods Pro Pro," as it were. Or the "AirPods Pro Max" to be even more confusing. Either way, this launch sounds more and more disappointing by the second — let's hope Apple brings the heat come the event.

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Tammy Rogers
Tammy Rogers
Audio Editor

Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.

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