Apple Working on AirPods Pro With Hearing Health Monitoring, Body Temperature Sensing: Mark Gurman

Apple's future AirPods and AirPods Pro models will reportedly be equipped with a USB Type-C port.

Written by David Delima | Updated: 3 July 2023 09:20 IST

Apple Working on AirPods Pro With Hearing Health Monitoring, Body Temperature Sensing: Mark Gurman

AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) might not see a successor for a couple of years

Highlights

AirPods will reportedly gain new health features in the future
These features will be related to hearing and temperature sensing
Apple is also expected to drop the Lightning port on its audio devices

AirPods — Apple's truly wireless stereo earphones — will reportedly gain support for health-related features that will allow users to monitor their hearing and keep track of their body temperature, while the company plans to position the AirPods Pro as a hearing aid. The popular wireless earphones already allow users to take audiograms using third party apps, while the Apple Watch Series 8 and Watch Ultra with rudimentary temperature monitoring. However, the Cupertino company is not expected to release new AirPods and AirPods Pro models in the near future.

In his weekly Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman states that Apple is working on adding "major" health features to AirPods that will include a test to check how well the wearer can hear sounds. Third-party apps already allow users to generate an audiogram using AirPods Pro, which suggests that Apple's upcoming ear health monitoring feature could make apps like Mimi obsolete once it is introduced. Gurman also states that Apple is planning to position AirPods as a hearing aid, nearly a year after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed over-the-counter hearing aid sales.

Last year, Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra with support for temperature sensing. While these smartwatches is only used for fertility tracking, the company is working to add sensors to AirPods to add the ability to monitor the wearer's body temperature via the ear canal, according to Gurman. This could be used to warn users in advance that they might be falling ill, he says, adding that these health features are “several months or even years away.”

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Like the iPhone 15 series of smartphones, Apple is said to be working on upgrading the AirPods and AirPods Pro to a USB Type-C port. Gurman suggests that Apple could consider slashing the cost of the AirPods (2nd Gen) that were released in 2019 from $129 (roughly Rs. 10,600) to $99 (roughly Rs. 8,100) to better compete with cheaper offerings from rivals.

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Earlier this year, TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that Apple would launch a version of the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) with a USB Type-C port in Q3 2023. Apple has already equipped several devices with the modern port, including recent iPad models and the Siri Remote for the Apple TV. It is worth noting that the first-generation AirPods Pro which were refreshed with a MagSafe-compatible charging case, required customers to buy a fresh pair of earphones along with the charging case.

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Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) True Wireless Stereo (TWS) Earphones

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design / Comfort
Audio Quality
Battery Life
Value For Money

Good
Classic design with improved controls
Comfortable fit
State-of-the-art charging case
Very good battery life
Flexible, eager sound quality
Excellent ANC and transparency modes

Bad
Some features only work on Apple devices
Somewhat expensive

Read detailed Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) True Wireless Stereo (TWS) Earphones review

Colour White

Headphone Type In-Ear

Microphone Yes

Connectivity True Wireless Stereo (TWS)

Type Earphones

More Apple Headphones & Headset

Apple AirPods MV7N2HN/A True Wireless Stereo (TWS) Earphones

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Colour White

Headphone Type In-Ear

Microphone Yes

Connectivity True Wireless Stereo (TWS)

Type Earphones

More Apple Headphones & Headset

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Further reading: AirPods Pro, AirPods, AirPods Features, Hearing Health, Health, Apple

David Delima

Email David Delima

As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be contacted via email at DavidD@ndtv.com, on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More