AirPods could add temperature sensing, heart rate measuring, and a camera for Apple Intell...

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iOS edited December 2024

A new report says that Apple's aim to add a camera to the AirPods is to power Apple Intelligence features, and that the device is due to gain many more health features.

Two wireless earbuds with silicone tips rest on a black surface.
AirPods Pro 2



The idea of AirPods with cameras has been reported before. Specifically, it's been expected that IR cameras could be fitted and that these would aid spatial audio by being better able to assess the user's environment.

Now according to Bloomberg, the idea was shelved some years ago -- but is now back as a priority because of Apple Intelligence. It's not clear in what way the cameras could help with AI, but the report is that the feature is now a priority for both the Apple Intelligence and AirPods hardware development groups.

Cameras are not, though, expected to be added to the AirPods for at least two or more years.

What may also happen, though, is that the AirPods could become much more significant in Apple's drive toward health. Reportedly, Apple is now chiefly concentrating on finding how to make AirPods reliably measure heart rate.

At present, heart-rate measurements are said to be more accurate on the Apple Watch than on the AirPods, but perhaps not by much. It's seemingly close enough that this could even be ready for the next version of AirPods Pro. Those are said to be in early development.

Apple is also said to be working on adding temperature sensing to AirPods, plus other unspecified physiological measurements.

The new health measures follow 2024's addition of a hearing test to the AirPods Pro 2.

Rumor Score: Possible

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    toronto95toronto95 Posts: 1member
    Just make the audio better and longer battery life, rather than forcing the AirPods to be something way out of its league
    bobolicious
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  • Reply 2 of 6
    Drummerladdrummerlad Posts: 22unconfirmed, member
    The camera is just going to be to take photos of the inside of your ear so you know when to trim your ear hair. 
    bobolicious
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 6
    boboliciousbobolicious Posts: 1,190member
    ... the iSpyPod ...?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 6
    AppleAlwaysapplealways Posts: 14member
    Temp sensing would be ideal in the ears. 
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  • Reply 5 of 6
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,719member
    Infrared cameras, as referenced in the article, should probably have been called "infrared sensors" to avoid a mistaken impression, even if the term is technically accurate.

    Infrared tends to measure heat, so I can see why it might be useful to have in there as a health sensor. But I really don't want the AirPods Pro to get any bigger, so good luck with that Apple.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 6
    KT123kt123 Posts: 19member
    This is when you know Apple has thrown the towel on making the sound any better or at least notably better that owners of previous generations of Airpods would be tempted to upgrade. Then you try to make it into something else entirely different in the hope people get confused enough to buy the new gadget.
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