Apple is breaking its own upgrade cycle, and the reason involves hardware nobody expected.
Less than a year after launching AirPods Pro 3, Apple is reportedly developing a premium variant with infrared cameras in each earbud. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo calls it a “more significant” hardware upgrade, expected in September 2026.
AirPods Pro 3 already contain the hardware for lossless audio. Apple hasn’t turned it on. Between an aging H2 chip, unconfirmed pricing, and a product name that not even leakers agree on, this rumored upgrade raises as many questions as it answers.
Here’s everything we know so far about the rumored AirPods Pro 4.
When Is the AirPods Pro 4 Release Date?
The timeline is unusual. AirPods Pro have followed a roughly three-year upgrade cycle since 2019, and a 2026 variant would arrive just one year after the Pro 3.
| Generation | Released | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| AirPods Pro 1 | October 2019 | — |
| AirPods Pro 2 | September 2022 | ~3 years |
| AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) | September 2023 | 1 year (revision) |
| AirPods Pro 3 | September 2025 | ~3 years |
| AirPods Pro 4 (rumored) | September 2026 (est.) | ~1 year |
Sources project a September 2026 launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and the rumored iPhone Fold. But this doesn’t appear to be a traditional generational upgrade. In fact, Apple already tested a dual-SKU approach with AirPods 4 at $129 and $179, and this higher-end Pro variant could follow a similar strategy.
“The 2026 AirPods Pro will feature a ‘more significant’ hardware upgrade in the form of at least one tiny infrared camera,” Kuo reports.
Apple hasn’t confirmed any of this yet, so the timing and final positioning remain uncertain.
What Will the AirPods Pro 4 Look Like?
The higher-end variant is expected to retain the familiar AirPods Pro form factor. Current AirPods Pro 3 earbuds weigh 5.55 grams each, carry IP57 dust and water resistance, and use Apple’s H2 chip, and Geeky Gadgets reports that the next model will likely stay close to that overall design.
If Apple adds infrared cameras to each earbud stem, the physical design will likely need at least some internal or external changes. However, it’s still unclear how noticeable those changes would be.
What Features Can We Expect From AirPods Pro 4?
Five rumored upgrades shape the higher-end variant.
- H3 chip and performance upgrades
- Infrared cameras and more Apple Intelligence features
- Lossless audio support
- Noise cancellation improvements
- Battery life and efficiency
H3 chip and performance upgrades
AirPods Pro 4 are expected to introduce Apple’s next-generation H3 chip. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the H3 is in development, with expected improvements in active noise cancellation, power efficiency, and on-device Apple Intelligence processing.
A newer chip would give Apple room to improve responsiveness and efficiency across the board, especially if the higher-end model adds more demanding hardware. It would also mark a meaningful step forward from the H2 platform that has carried through recent AirPods Pro models.
Infrared cameras and more Apple Intelligence features
One of the biggest rumored changes is the addition of tiny infrared cameras in each earbud. Leaker Kosutami says the sensors could help the earbuds “see around the wearer” and work with Apple Intelligence for more context-aware features.
Possible applications include gesture-based controls, better environmental awareness, automatic adjustments based on surroundings, and deeper integration with devices like the Vision Pro.
The exact implementation is still unclear, but the cameras are the feature that most clearly separates this higher-end variant from a routine year-over-year refresh.
Lossless audio support
Lossless audio remains one of the most important rumored upgrades. Apple has already developed its own wireless protocol, SPR AVS (Spatial Relay Audio-Visual Sync), which is designed to support low-latency, lossless-quality audio over a proprietary connection.
The H3 chip is also rumored to support higher sampling rates, which could make AirPods Pro 4 the model where Apple finally expands lossless support beyond specialized use cases.
That matters because lossless playback is still one of the most-requested upgrades among AirPods users, especially as competitors continue to offer broader codec support.
Noise cancellation improvements
If Apple moves to an H3 chip, faster sampling and processing could help the earbuds respond more quickly when the surrounding sound environment changes.
This kind of improvement tends to matter most in real-world transitions, such as moving from a quiet street to a train car or walking past construction noise.
Battery life and efficiency
Battery performance will be another important area to watch. Adding infrared cameras and more advanced processing could increase power demands, especially with active noise cancellation enabled.
At the same time, a more efficient H3 chip could help offset some of that added load. Whether that translates into longer battery life, similar endurance, or a tradeoff between new features and longevity is still unknown.
Battery durability over time also remains a major concern for many AirPods users, so efficiency improvements would matter just as much as day-one runtime.
How Much Will the AirPods Pro 4 Cost?
Apple’s current lineup runs $129, $179, $249, and $549. A higher-end Pro variant between $299 and $349 would fill the only remaining gap.
Sources can’t agree on the price, though. One YouTube creator predicts $249, unchanged from the Pro 3. MacRumors estimates $299 to $349 or higher. Geeky Gadgets lands at roughly $300.
| Product | MSRP |
|---|---|
| AirPods Pro 3 | $249 |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro | $249.99 |
| Bose QC Ultra Earbuds 2 | $299 |
| AirPods Pro 4 (rumored) | $249-$349 |
| Sony WF-1000XM6 | $329.99 |
At $249, Apple would match Samsung. At $300 or above, it would compete more directly with Sony and Bose in the premium wireless-earbuds tier. Whether Apple keeps the price flat or charges more for the added hardware is still unclear.