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Apple leaks another likely AirPods Pro 3 reference

When are AirPods Pro 3 launching? Apple’s code keeps indicating a release happening soon, even as key analysts suggest we may have to wait longer than expected. Here’s what the latest code leak revealed.

Three recent leaks indicate AirPods Pro 3 launching soon

Over the course of the last six weeks alone, there’s been plenty of evidence that AirPods Pro 3 are coming soon.

In mid-May, Apple released software that included a key string change:

  • Before: “This task requires Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Generation.”
  • After: “This task requires Apple AirPods Pro 2 or later.”

Things got even more explicit with the next leak.

In the iOS 26 beta code released earlier this month, the term ‘AirPods Pro 3’ was discovered.

And now, a third leak has been found, as reported by MacRumors.

Per Juli Clover, Apple’s codebase has been updated with a numerical reference to an audio product that’s not yet been released.

All AirPods and Beats devices have a special Bluetooth identifier in Apple’s codebase, and a new one—8239—identifies a not-yet-released product.

It’s possible the identifier is for a Beats product, but considering the growing evidence of AirPods Pro 3 and other recent leaks, the next-generation AirPods seem more likely.

If Apple indeed is preparing to launch AirPods Pro 3 soon, we should expect to see them debut in September at the iPhone 17 event.

It’s worth noting, though, that two analysts with supply chain sources have indicated Apple won’t launch AirPods Pro 3 until 2026.

So even though code leaks support the idea of a launch happening soon, there’s ultimately still no consensus around timing.

Do you expect AirPods Pro 3 to launch this fall? Let us know in the comments.

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Avatar for Ryan Christoffel Ryan Christoffel

Ryan got his start in journalism as an Editor at MacStories, where he worked for four years covering Apple news, writing app reviews, and more. For two years he co-hosted the Adapt podcast on Relay FM, which focused entirely on the iPad. As a result, it should come as no surprise that his favorite Apple device is the iPad Pro.