Apple's Special Event is happening next week, and the rumour mill is working overtime to keep up with all the news coming out from all outlets, including T3.
From the iPhone 17 Air to the Apple Watch Ultra 3, there are many products we expect to see during the presentation; in fact, there are no fewer than three Apple Watches that might be announced!
Another Apple product that may or may not appear is the Apple AirPods Pro 3. Contradictory rumours circulate online about Apple's top-tier earbuds, with some suggesting they will be released next week, while others claim they won't be seen until spring 2026.
However, none of the products mentioned above would excite me as much as if Apple had launched its first workout buds. The company has never had these before, and although people use the Apple AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 for workouts, they aren't ideal for this purpose.
Some of you may be aware that Apple already has a sub-brand that produces high-quality workout audio equipment, known as Beats. The brand has been undergoing a bit of a renaissance in recent years, following a period of dormancy, which makes me happy, as I'm a huge fan of Beats.
The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 launched earlier this year, and it's a notable release for a couple of reasons. First, the second iteration of the brand's flagship earbuds is as good as the first one has been, and that has won many T3 Awards throughout the years.
Secondly, and almost most importantly, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are built on the Apple H2 chip instead of Beats' own chipset, which is a slight departure from the other new audio products the company released in recent years.
This might signal, to me anyway, that Apple was testing its audio hardware on the Powerbeats Pro 2, paving the way for a dedicated Apple workout headphone to launch later in 2025.
Of course, let's not forget that the H2 chip is the same one that powers the AirPods Pro 2, which were released in September 2022, so quite a while ago.
It would have been more exciting if the Powerbeats Pro 2 had used the H3 chip, but at the same time, it would have been unusual for it to debut in a non-Apple product (the AirPods 4 also use the H2 chip).
Apple generally doesn't rush audio products out of the gate. The Apple AirPods Max were launched in December 2020 (!), and there is no indication we'll see the next iteration anytime soon. I wish Apple would take its sweet time with its wearables, too, so they feel fresher.
What does it mean for the Apple AirPods Sport (or AirPods Fit)? Well, it means we can't be certain that we'll ever see the workout buds. There is virtually no conversation about it, which baffles me, as fitness (and running, in particular) is experiencing a boom.
Apple could monetise on this easily if it had workout headphones that sync seamlessly with iPhones to offer. For now, all we can do is wait and see. I, for one, am hopeful that sporty Apple AirPods will make an appearance in 2025.
