AirPods Pro Were Almost Named AirPods Extreme

In the months leading up to Apple announcing the AirPods Pro in October 2019, the company considered changing the name of the wireless headphones to AirPods Extreme, according to internal information obtained by MacRumors.

airpods pro 2
The name AirPods Extreme was floated by at least one member of Apple's leadership team, but the company ultimately decided to move forward with AirPods Pro branding after many employees objected to the change, we have learned.

Apple has used "Extreme" branding in the past for its discontinued AirPort Extreme router and wireless card for Macs, first released in 2003.

In the end, the name AirPods Pro is more consistent with Apple's branding for several product lines. In addition to AirPods, Apple offers both regular and Pro versions of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and there will likely be a regular version of the Apple Vision Pro headset in the future. Nevertheless, Apple has used a few other suffixes for higher-end products over the years, such as the AirPods Max and the Apple Watch Ultra.

Apple went on to release second-generation AirPods Pro in September 2022, and it updated the headphones with a USB-C charging case and a few other features a year later. Third-generation AirPods Pro are rumored to be released in 2025.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week

Tuesday September 2, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices. Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 16 $799 iPhone 17 ...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

Survey: Nearly 70% of Users Plan to Upgrade to iPhone 17

Monday September 1, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
A new survey has found that nearly seven in ten iPhone owners in the United States plan to upgrade to an iPhone 17 model, signaling strong demand ahead of Apple's expected unveiling of the devices at its September 9 keynote. Smartphone price comparison platform SellCell surveyed over 2,000 U.S.-based iPhone users in August to assess upgrade interest and brand loyalty before Apple's event....

Top Rated Comments

LoveToMacRumors Avatar
20 months ago
iPhone Extreme, iPad Extreme, Apple Watch Extreme, Apple Pencil Extreme, Apple Polishing Cloth Extreme
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JPack Avatar
20 months ago
Seems out of place, even for the Beats lineup. Why would Apple pull a name from 20 years ago? Sounds more like a canary trap.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
krell100 Avatar
20 months ago
Because clearly a pair of wireless Bluetooth ear buds are Professional.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
k1121j Avatar
20 months ago

You and I are the only people in this world with a notion of what an AirPort Extreme is in the year of our lord 2024
? Anyways if they did that the reqular earbuds could be the AirPods Express
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zakarhino Avatar
20 months ago
AirPods Extreme should still be a thing but it should be a model above the Pro with substantially better audio quality. Apple offering lossless wireless earbuds with quality that rivals kilobuck (~$1000) IEM rivals from Thieaudio, 64Audio, etc. would be a hit but it would have to be in the $500-$700 range. A good traditional IEM set can last a long time so the price is worth it, but once you add a battery suddenly you have something that has a quick decay rate.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maternidad Avatar
20 months ago
Which member of the leadership was it, MacRumors? Please don’t keep this information to yourselves.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)