Apple’s third-gen pro earbuds make a very strong case for upgrading. Alongside all those iPhones and Watches, Apple revealed the AirPods Pro 3, packing in major new features, like live translation and heart-rate sensing, all while tangibly boosting active noise cancellation (ANC).
Those ANC upgrades? Ultra-low-noise microphones combine with advanced computational audio to silence even more noise, while new foam-infused ear tips play a major role here too, since they offer increased passive noise isolation. Apple says these buds cancel twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2 and four times more than the original AirPods Pro.
Then there’s the heart-rate sensors. While the tech debuted on the Powerbeats Pro 2, it’s got a more mainstream home in the AirPods Pro 3. Heart-rate data from the AirPods can be accessed by Apple’s own Fitness app and other workout apps, like Nike Run Club and Peloton. In fact, during his review, Billy Steele found they delivered just as much heart-rate data as his Apple Watch.
There are some minor caveats: Battery life is less than previous models and the new shape of AirPod could take some time getting used to. Still, the newest AirPods garnered a score of 90 in our review. We like them. A lot.
— Mat Smith
Get Engadget’s newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!
The news you might have missed
An event is happening on September 30.
Amazon has a big event coming up and Panos Panay, who leads the company’s Devices & Services team, will be on hand. This strongly suggests Amazon will announce some new hardware. The press invite also included a composite image of various Amazon devices. These appear to include a Kindle ereader, a Fire TV of some kind and an Echo speaker. Those are three of the company’s biggest product categories.
Continue reading.
Mario, Metroid, Virtual Boy and more.
It was a jam-packed Nintendo Direct last Friday. First up, September 13 is the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. in Japan, which is a big reason this Direct took place on a Friday. The company revealed the title for the next Mario movie. It’s called The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and it’s coming to cinemas in the US on April 3. Also, the Virtual Boy is ! There was plenty more too.
Continue reading.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said unnamed parties reached an agreement.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the United States and China have reached a framework deal on TikTok. Speaking to reporters in Madrid after two days of talks with his Chinese counterparts, Bessent said, “It’s between two private parties, but the commercial terms have been agreed upon.” President Trump said in a Truth Social post that he will be speaking with Xi Jinping this Friday regarding the potential deal, among other things.
Continue reading.