Apple’s AirPods have been a highly successful product for the company, and now Apple is aiming to capitalize even further on this popular category. They are planning to introduce new features that go beyond just listening to music. These new features include health tracking capabilities with the addition of new sensors, and there is a possibility that AirPods might also serve as a hearing aid.
According to Mark Gurman’s newsletter, Power On, published by Bloomberg, Apple is actively developing additional functionalities for AirPods. One of the potential new features being explored is a body temperature sensor. Alongside this, there are discussions about incorporating other sensors to enhance the hearing aid capabilities of AirPods.
Apple is actively working on incorporating sensors into AirPods that can measure body temperature through the ear canal. This method is expected to provide more accurate temperature readings compared to the wrist-based measurements taken by the latest Apple Watch models during sleep. While the current temperature data is primarily used for fertility tracking, Apple aims to utilize it in the future to identify illnesses such as colds.
Another feature in development for AirPods is the ability to play various tones and sounds to assess a user’s hearing ability. This feature is intended to help users identify potential hearing problems and may render existing hearing apps like Mimi obsolete, as Apple has engaged in discussions with their developers.
Apple has already introduced hearing-aid-like features such as Conversation Boost and Live Listen, but these features have not yet received official approval. To aid in their efforts, Apple has enlisted the expertise of engineers from traditional hearing aid companies.
In addition to health-related advancements, the next generation of AirPods may adopt USB-C charging ports, similar to the upcoming iPhones that are expected to make the transition to USB-C ports this year.
