Apple's second-generation AirPods with health tracking features coming first half 2019
The second generation of Apple's AirPods will arrive in the first half of 2019, according to supply chain sources, with the wearable devices expected to include health tracking functionality that will make them more attractive in the overall wearables market.
Apple's AirPods
The rumored AirPods 2 is tipped to launch in the first half of the year. The new wireless models, which may include health monitoring functions, are expected to receive an enthusiastic response from consumers, with competitors preparing to take them on with their own versions later in the year .
The competitive wearables market has already seen considerable growth over the last few years, with Apple's revenue from the wearable segment believed to have grown by 50 percent in 2018 compared to the full year of 2017, sources of DigiTimes claim. Apple's success in the field is said by supply chain insiders to demonstrate potential for the market to grow even more in 2019.
The claims by the industry insiders seemingly match a prediction made by Ming-Chi Kuo in December. Kuo also suggests the inclusion of "wireless charging support" and a Bluetooth specification upgrade in the release, though a more pronounced revision may arrive in 2020.
The report mainly deals with the anticipated growth of the flexible and rigid-flex PCB market in 2019, with Apple's AirPods and the Apple Watch Series 4 thought to be major drivers for the industry.
Leading Taiwanese flexible PCB suppliers Zhen Ding Tech and Flexium Interconnect are said to be two suppliers in the chain providing components for both the Apple Watch and AirPods. However, the two companies are tipped to gain more orders from other device vendors in the future.
The diversification is also apparently expected for Compeq Manufacturing and Unitech PCB, which supply rigid-flex boards used in AirPods, with both firms likely to gain more clients in the earbuds industry throughout the year.
Apple's AirPods
The rumored AirPods 2 is tipped to launch in the first half of the year. The new wireless models, which may include health monitoring functions, are expected to receive an enthusiastic response from consumers, with competitors preparing to take them on with their own versions later in the year .
The competitive wearables market has already seen considerable growth over the last few years, with Apple's revenue from the wearable segment believed to have grown by 50 percent in 2018 compared to the full year of 2017, sources of DigiTimes claim. Apple's success in the field is said by supply chain insiders to demonstrate potential for the market to grow even more in 2019.
The claims by the industry insiders seemingly match a prediction made by Ming-Chi Kuo in December. Kuo also suggests the inclusion of "wireless charging support" and a Bluetooth specification upgrade in the release, though a more pronounced revision may arrive in 2020.
The report mainly deals with the anticipated growth of the flexible and rigid-flex PCB market in 2019, with Apple's AirPods and the Apple Watch Series 4 thought to be major drivers for the industry.
Leading Taiwanese flexible PCB suppliers Zhen Ding Tech and Flexium Interconnect are said to be two suppliers in the chain providing components for both the Apple Watch and AirPods. However, the two companies are tipped to gain more orders from other device vendors in the future.
The diversification is also apparently expected for Compeq Manufacturing and Unitech PCB, which supply rigid-flex boards used in AirPods, with both firms likely to gain more clients in the earbuds industry throughout the year.
Comments
I’m trying to figure what kind of health data they could introduce into these. Perhaps using the acceleromters to know if you’re walking/running? They could conceivably put a heart rate monitor in by adding an LED and sensor like the watch uses, but that would also draw more power, shortening the battery life.
;-)
And, one application for that would be in endurance athletes where it can be a problem. A life threatening problem.
When I worked the medical staff of the Pittsburgh Marathon a few years back the biggest concern was over heating -- and we brought in water/ice baths to the medical tent to deal with it. But, regardless, we still sent a dozen runners to the hospital with internal temperatures over 112 degrees -- which is well into life threatening range. While any one of them or all could have died, all were saved with no known lasting debilities.
And, I myself in the last race I ran last fall underestimated the heat from the open sun of the course and dehydrated and overheated myself. There was no medical tent there to check me or treat me -- so I instead spent an hour or so in the shade sipping fluids till things got back to normal. If I had had a way to check my temperature while running I would have paid more attention to hydration which could have avoided the situation.
Unfortunately, on the flip side, most races discourage or ban any form of ear pods for safety reasons.
But still, killin' me smalls...
Being able to buy AppleCare for them would be nice too.
I'm guessing there will be a combination of features, some of which are similar but maybe not identical to Apple Watch features.
I doubt the Air Pods will have exercise or workout detection. And I don't think they'd be as capable as a heart rate monitor (prove me wrong, Apple). So maybe lesser forms of tracking and health stuff already on the watch, to cover people who don't have the watch, but do have an iOS device. But also, as mentioned by others above, an in-ear sensor could work better for temperature. Also, blood oxygenation could be easier in the ear, but that would probably add substantial cost to the Air Pods. Might make it more likely for Apple Watch Series 5 or later.
On the other hand, if they wanted to add an EEG to match the EKG on the watch, well you have to measure potential difference and current across the head...
A big issue with headphones and body measurements is that there aren’t worn all the time and battery life for wireless earbuds are not too good. A wrist watch you can put it on and basically forget it is there. Maybe these wireless buds can be thought as ear jewelry and it can be totally accepted for these things to be in or on your ear 18 hours a day? Or maybe they can grow out of being a necessity like hearing aids, or glasses, are and become a typical everyday human activity, like putting on clothes?
For AirPods 2.0, getting phone talk time to 4 hours and enabling volume control would big improvements imo. The health sensing if it is there I imagine will be a user on-demand thing, not continuous like it is with the Watch.
At some point, along with the Watch, I hope AirPods become independent computing devices, that is, they won’t need an iPhone. Like AirPods don’t need an iPhone to interact with Siri, it won’t need an iPhone to stream Apple Music, etc.
My only criticism of the AirPods I own is the batteries run down at just over an hour of use even with SPL's restricted by EU health standards ... and five minutes back in the charging case allows around 30mins play time before they emit the conking out sounds. Also, tipping my head down and turning it about 40º in either direction causes the sound to break up badly and vanish.
So, I do hope they sort these shortcomings out before releasing a new iteration with features which may or most likely may not work..