The latest Apple AirPods 3 leaks seem to have revealed the actual wireless earbuds.

Chinese website 52 Audio posted photos of the alleged AirPods 3 and charging case, along with numerous matching product renderings. The report also claims that the AirPods 3 may feature active noise cancellation (ANC), bringing the earphones much closer to the AirPods Pro. It may be too close.

Adding ANC to the "entry-level" AirPods would be a very unexpected move for Apple; the AirPods Pro has other tricks to differentiate it, such as spatial audio support, but it would still be more It would close an important gap that would make it preferable. Apple may be betting on the appeal of the even more upgraded AirPods Pro 2, though.

These latest images also suggest that the AirPods 3 are undergoing a major redesign. While the stems still appear to be longer than those of the current AirPods Pro, the AirPods 3 also appears to have borrowed the design of the in-ear tips. This may allow users to swap between different tip sets for a perfect fit, something that is not possible with the current AirPods.

In-ear tips would also provide a better seal than the fixed design of the AirPods and would tie in with the possibility of adding ANC. This is most effective when the user is already passively isolated from outside noise.

The report also claims that the AirPods 3 will feature a "pressure relief" feature similar to the AirPods Pro. This means that each bud will have a small ventilation hole to release the pressure that builds up in the ear when using the highly sealed headphones. These vents can be seen in leaked photos and rendered images.

Also visible is what appears to be an infrared sensor, which will recognize when the AirPods 3 remove the bud from the ear and automatically pause playback until the bud is put back on. Current AirPods already have this feature, but the sensor in the leaked design is much larger.

Notably, 52 Audio has a mixed track record when it comes to reporting AirPods 3. It has posted an alleged x-ray image of the upcoming Buds that turned out to show the existing AirPods Pro, and included this denied image on the same page as these latest photos. However, photos are harder to fake than renderings, and the AirPods 3 has long been rumored to inherit some features from the AirPods Pro. Therefore, this report is at least possible.

We will keep an eye out for more AirPods 3 leaks and any reports on the AirPods Pro 2. With Samsung announcing the Galaxy Buds Pro and Sony seemingly working on the WF-1000XM4, Apple definitely has reason to up its game if it wants to stay on top of the true wireless earbuds.