With major iOS releases, Apple usually upgrades the capabilities of AirPods. With iOS 26, the company launched Live Translation, which is a convenient way to understand what someone is saying to you in a different language. Now, with iOS 27 just around the corner, AirPods owners, especially those with the latest AirPods Pro 3, will be able to enjoy several new features that will make their earbuds much more powerful, like a dedicated EQ profile, Siri AI, better integration with GymKit and Apple Watch, and more.
To benefit from the new features, users will need to download iOS 27 and a new firmware update that will be available around the same time later this fall. Even if you downloaded the iOS 27 beta, you won’t see all the smart things your AirPods can do if you don’t update its beta firmware.
Once you do, the first feature you’ll probably want to try is the upcoming Custom EQ. With this feature, users can finally customize the sound of AirPods by adjusting the bass, midrange, and treble. It’s something available in most third-party earphones and headsets, and Apple is finally bringing it to its own audio products.
Siri AI and GymKit integrations
Although Apple is still a long way from turning AirPods into a standalone AI device, these earbuds will be able to take advantage of Siri AI whenever an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone becomes available. iPhone users will benefit from several features with Siri AI in iOS 27, including the ability to ask the assistant what you want. For the first time, Siri has access to the world’s knowledge, so it can tell you recipes, places to visit, and even help you with a random question. The personal assistant is also more conversational, so responses will have a bit more personality. Most importantly, Siri AI understands personal context so can help you with something very specific without you ever having to look at your phone.
On top of that, AirPods Pro 3 are getting more powerful with iOS 27 thanks to new GymKit integration. With this integration, you will be able to connect your iPhone to a treadmill and choose whether you want to take a walk or an indoor run. Your AirPods will send heart rate data to the treadmill, while the GymKit integration on your iPhone provides data on distance, pace, altitude, and calories. This integration is a great tool for those who don’t have an Apple Watch. However, AirPods Pro 3 users will get accurate workout data by combining these two accessories and making iPhone the ultimate health hub.
Find My and interface changes
With iOS 26 and watchOS 26, Apple began allowing Apple Watch owners with a U2 chip to locate other iPhone users with this second-generation ultra-wideband chip. Then, with the release of AirTag 2, Apple expanded this feature, as Apple Watch users can easily track these items as well. Now with watchOS 27, Apple integrates multiple Find My apps into one, making it more convenient for locating friends, devices, and items. It also enables precision search on Apple Watch to locate AirPods Pro 3, so customers don’t even need their phone to find their earbuds around the house.
Last but not least, Apple is tweaking the AirPods settings interface. Along with the new EQ feature, users will see more detailed information about how they use their AirPods; multiple tabs with different sections where they can learn about audio, hearing health, control and gestures; Live translation; accessibility; and more. Users also get information about the earbud model and integration with Apple apps, and can test the sound seal of the Pro models. With all of this, it wouldn’t be surprising if Apple prepared a standalone AirPods app, as it did for the Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro.
