Apple’s H3 chip aims to cut AirPods latency and boost audio

Apple is developing a new custom chip for its AirPods that the company and people briefed on its product plans say is intended to reduce audio latency and improve sound quality, a move that comes weeks after the release of the AirPods Pro 3. The next-generation H3 processor is being built by Apple's silicon team and is expected to power future high-end in-ear models and possibly new variants of the AirPods line.

The AirPods Pro 3, launched last month, continued to use the H2 chip introduced in 2022, while delivering a number of hardware upgrades such as larger batteries, foam-infused ear tips, an onboard heart rate sensor and stronger active noise cancellation. With those models now shipping, Apple engineers have turned their attention to advancing processing capabilities for upcoming earbuds, saying the H3 is "designed for less lag time and better audio quality," according to people familiar with the plans.

Apple is also reported to be preparing an AirPods Pro variant equipped with infrared cameras, which could appear as early as next year. Industry observers say such cameras would create new on-device processing demands that could benefit from the H3 chip's additional...