Owners of Apple's latest premium earbuds, the AirPods Pro 3, are expressing growing frustration over unresolved audio problems. Despite two firmware updates released by Apple since the product's launch in September, a significant number of users continue to experience a persistent static-like or crackling sound, particularly when the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature is enabled.
Widespread Reports of Audio Disturbances
According to a detailed report by MacRumours, the complaints are not isolated. Users have described encountering strange, intermittent high-pitched whistling noises alongside the main crackling issue. The problem becomes most apparent when ANC is activated and there is no music or media playing, highlighting background audio processing flaws.
Apple has attempted to address these concerns through software patches. The company rolled out firmware version 8B25 in November, followed by an update to version 8B30 on December 10. However, feedback from the user community indicates that both updates have failed to provide a permanent solution to the crackling and static sound disturbances.
Replacement Units and Broader Glitches
The situation has led some customers to seek replacements directly from Apple. Intriguingly, many who received new units report that the replacement AirPods Pro 3 suffer from the identical audio issues. This pattern has sparked a debate among users and observers about whether the root cause is a software bug that can be patched or a deeper, hardware-related design flaw.
Beyond the primary crackling, several users have highlighted other performance hiccups. These include noticeable audio latency and sound-syncing problems while watching videos, disrupting the media consumption experience. Apple's official release notes for the firmware updates have been vague, stating only "bug fixes and other improvements," without specifically acknowledging the widespread audio complaints.
Advanced Features Amidst Troubles
The AirPods Pro 3 are packed with cutting-edge health and intelligence features that now seem overshadowed by these audio glitches. The earbuds come equipped with a miniature heart rate sensor using a custom photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor. This sensor operates by pulsing invisible infrared light 256 times per second to measure blood flow.
When combined with other sensors like accelerometers and GPS, this enables tracking of heart rate, calories burned, and supports up to 50 workout types. This data syncs with Apple Intelligence on the iPhone and is viewable in the Fitness app. Key features leveraging this tech include Workout Buddy in iOS 26 and Live Translation, which uses improved noise cancellation to lower speaker volume for clearer translated audio.
On the battery front, Apple claims the AirPods Pro 3 offer 8 hours of battery life with ANC on, an improvement from the previous generation's 6 hours, and up to 10 hours for hearing aid functionality.
For now, customers are left waiting for an official response from Apple. The company has not publicly acknowledged the audio problems specific to the AirPods Pro 3 nor provided a timeline for a definitive fix, leaving users hoping the next firmware update will finally silence the unwanted static.
