Apple Was Caught Off Guard by AirPods Pro 3 Popularity
AirPods Pro 3 demand was so strong after the earbuds launched in September that their popularity reportedly "caught Apple off guard."
"AirPods Pro 3 were supply-constrained during the quarter, and we think we would have grown year over year if we would not have been constrained," Apple CEO Tim Cook told Reuters, in a report published alongside Apple's record-breaking earnings results for the fourth quarter of the 2025 calendar year.
Cook was referring to Apple's Wearable, Home, and Accessories segment, which saw around a 2% drop in revenue year-over-year. His comment implies that if Apple had realized AirPods Pro 3 were going to be such a hit, the company could have had more inventory ready to ship and might have actually had revenue growth in this segment.
AirPods Pro 3 no longer have any extended delivery delays on Apple's online store, so it would appear that Apple has caught up on supply by now.
AirPods Pro 3 feature increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, longer battery life per charge, heart rate monitoring during workouts, improved fit for many users, increased water resistance, a new XXS ear tip size, and more.
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Sony refreshed its earbuds earlier this year, introducing the $330 WF-1000XM6 earbuds to compete with the $249 AirPods Pro 3 that came out last September. We compared Sony's new earbuds with Apple's latest model to see which is better.
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