Sony’s new earbuds take aim at AirPods Pro 3 with better ANC

• Sony Group Corp. has launched a new pair of premium wireless earbuds with a retooled design.
• The earbuds offer active noise cancellation (ANC) that the company says goes head to head with — and often outperforms — Apple’s AirPods Pro 3.
• The update signals renewed competition in the high-end true wireless market, with implications for design, audio quality and noise-cancellation leadership.

What Sony announced

Sony Group Corp. introduced its latest premium wireless earbuds, highlighting a retooled design and improved active noise cancellation. The company frames the new model as a direct competitor to Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, claiming ANC performance that in many cases surpasses Apple’s offering.

Why it matters

Active noise cancellation is a key battleground in premium earbuds: better ANC improves focus on calls, music and podcasts in noisy environments. Sony positioning its new earbuds as superior to AirPods Pro 3 signals a push to reclaim or expand market share among buyers who prioritize noise suppression and sound quality.

Design and user impact

The product description emphasizes a retooled design, which typically means changes to fit, controls or case ergonomics. Those kinds of updates can materially affect comfort and passive noise isolation, both important alongside ANC performance.

Market implications

Sony’s claim to outperform AirPods Pro 3 on ANC will intensify competition at the top end of the true wireless category. Expect comparisons focused on comfort, call quality, battery life, companion app features and ecosystem integration as reviewers test the new earbuds against Apple’s offering.

What to watch next

Readers should look for hands-on reviews and benchmark tests that measure ANC across real-world scenarios, as well as comparisons on sound tuning, latency and feature sets. Pricing and availability will determine how aggressively the new Sony earbuds can challenge the established popularity of AirPods Pro 3.

For buyers choosing between the two, consider trialing both models if possible, since fit and personal comfort often decide the winner even when ANC and audio specifications are similar.