What we’re expecting
The H3 is expected to be the biggest internal upgrade in AirPods Ultra. Beyond improving audio performance, Apple is reportedly designing the chip with enough processing power to support an entirely new generation of AI features while maintaining low latency and long battery life.
AirPods Ultra are expected to debut Apple’s new H3 chip, replacing the H2 that has powered AirPods Pro since 2022. According to multiple reports, the processor is being designed to handle both traditional audio tasks and the additional computational demands of the earbuds’ infrared cameras. Compared with the H2, the H3 is expected to deliver faster processing, better power efficiency, and lower latency. Those improvements would benefit everyday features such as active noise cancellation and Siri responsiveness while also providing enough headroom for AI-powered capabilities that were not possible on previous AirPods. Apple has not confirmed the H3 or its specifications, but its development has been consistently reported alongside AirPods Ultra. The new processor is expected to be one of the key hardware changes that separates Ultra from the standard AirPods Pro lineup.