AirPods Pro 3 launch with fitness-first feature set

Apple's launch event is live, and we've kicked off with a hotly anticipated one – AirPods Pro 3. The latest generation of the brand's popular earbuds promises to be a revolutionary step for the brand.

The big feature right off the bat is the inclusion of a heart rate sensor in the earbuds. That enables users to enjoy some of the health and fitness tracking which would usually require an Apple Watch, without having to wear anything on their wrist.

Users will have a selection of 50 workouts which can be tracked with just the AirPods Pro 3, which includes all of the basics like walking and running. It will be able to track your heart rate and calories burnt, meaning it can contribute to your overall health data and workout streaks.

If you're not much of gym bunny, fear not. We've also seen the announcement of a feature which has been rumoured for a while – Live Translation.

That's powered by Apple Intelligence, and allows you to have foreign languages translated in your ear in real time. When you respond, the text is displayed on your corresponding iPhone, and can even be played aloud if needed.

The event even showcased two people – both wearing AirPods Pro 3 – having a complete conversation in two entirely different languages. Colour me sceptical on that one – it would be a significant leap to have this technology working in real time like that, and Apple Intelligence has yet to prove its mettle in that way. Still, I'd love to be proven wrong when I get hands on with the feature.

Elsewhere, we see some minor revisions to the size and design. The buds themselves are smaller, with a new airflow design which is said to offer better bass response.

The buds are also IP57 water and dust resistance rated, making them perfect as a workout companion. Priced at £219 / €249 / US$249 / AU$429, the earbuds can be pre-ordered from today, and will be available beginning on the 19th of September.