AirPods Pro 2 get better every year, and iOS 26 extends that streak

4 hours ago 1

Amid ongoing uncertainty around when AirPods Pro 3 might finally arrive, one thing is very clear: AirPods Pro 2 just keep getting better. Here’s how the trend of AirPods Pro 2 improvements will continue in iOS 26.

New iOS 26 features coming to AirPods Pro 2

I’m as eager as anyone else for Apple to debut AirPods Pro 3. But if I’m honest, they’ll have a hard time living up to the value I’ve gotten out of their predecessor.

I bought AirPods Pro 2 back in 2022 when they first launched. At the time, upgraded active noise cancellation (ANC) was the biggest draw for me.

But some of my overall favorite AirPods Pro 2 features have arrived post-launch.

Every year, Apple has given AirPods Pro 2 users a handful of new features via firmware updates.

iOS 17 brought Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Personalized Volume, and more
iOS 18 added Voice Isolation, Siri Interactions, Hearing Protection, Hearing Aid, and more

In iOS 26, AirPods Pro 2 will gain six new features:

Battery charging notifications
Automatic pausing when you fall asleep
Studio-quality audio recording
Camera remote
Automatic switching for CarPlay
Enhanced voice quality on calls

You can try the new capabilities out now via the public beta.

Pattern of new AirPods features via firmware shows no signs of slowing

We’re all used to getting new iPhone features via software updates. The same goes for the Mac, iPad, and Apple’s other platforms.

But this pattern of adding so many new features to AirPods still surprises me to this day.

Apple no doubt could have sold more AirPods by revving the hardware slightly each year and making new features exclusive to the latest model. We could be on AirPods Pro 5 or 6 by this time if that had happened.

Instead, Apple has set a new precedent and standard for AirPods firmware upgrades.

When AirPods Pro 3 finally do arrive, they’ll no doubt only include a fraction of the new features that will eventually be added via updates.

The new H3 chip could easily prove the most important feature over time, just like AirPods Pro 2’s H2 has been.

But for now, Apple is preparing to ship yet another new wave of AirPods Pro 2 features. And when it does, the three-year-old wireless earbuds will again prove one of Apple’s best value products.

Which of iOS 26’s new AirPods Pro 2 features are you most interested in? Let us know in the comments.