iPhone and the Tube
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Strong quiet, heart-rate sensing and around 8 hours a charge.
What buyers love: how it sounds.
Black Friday earbuds: six pairs to shortlist
Your phone decides half of it. Your commute decides the rest.
Black Friday: 27 November 2026. Cyber Monday: 30 November 2026.
iPhone, nothing in the ear
Deepest quiet in buds
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)
Top-class noise cancelling and clear calls by busy roads.
What buyers love: how it sounds.
Long days on any phone
Sony WF-C710N
8.5 hours per charge and Sony's full app on Android.
What buyers love: how it sounds.
Android extras, small spend
Quiet commute for less
Before you buy
01
iPhone or Android?
AirPods connect in a tap with an iPhone and lose most tricks on Android.
02
Spot the Pro 2
AirPods Pro 2 sell alongside the Pro 3 in a similar box. Check the name.
03
Seal first
No noise cancelling works without a seal. Try each tip size before the return window ends.
Questions people ask
Will the AirPods Pro 3 be worth it on Black Friday, or are the AirPods 5 enough?
The Pro 3 is worth it for strong quiet on the Tube or a train, and for heart-rate sensing. The AirPods 5 let more chatter in and last fewer hours, but cost about half as much.
Do the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds work well with Android?
Yes, with Bose's app you get every setting. Fit is the bigger question, as they're large buds. On Android, the EarFun Air Pro 4 adds LDAC for a fraction of the price.
Can you use AirPods Pro 3 with an Android phone?
For music and noise cancelling, yes. Instant pairing, device switching and most settings need an Apple device, so Android owners get more from a pair with its own app.
Related guides
How we reached this
Each product here is covered by our alternatives guides: at least two independent expert reviews and the maker's specs. We list no deals or prices: tap through for today's price.
We haven't tested these products ourselves. Our picks weigh independent expert reviews against each maker's published specs and the prices we checked. Opinions are ours; facts link to where they come from. How we choose.
Sources: Apple UK: AirPods Pro 3 tech specs, What Hi-Fi?: AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods 4 with ANC, SoundGuys: AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods 4 with ANC, Apple UK: AirPods 5 tech specs, What Hi-Fi?: Apple AirPods 5 review, Macworld: AirPods 5 review, Bose: QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), What Hi-Fi?: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) review, TechRadar: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) review, HIFI.DE: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) test, Sony UK: WF-C710N specifications, What Hi-Fi?: Sony WF-C710N review, Tom's Guide: Sony WF-C710N review, EarFun: Air Pro 4, Android Central: EarFun Air Pro 4 review, PC Gamer: EarFun Air Pro 4 review, Nothing: Ear (a), TechRadar: Nothing Ear (a) review, Expert Reviews: Nothing Ear (a) review.