- The AirPods Pro charging case is to be updated with a USB-C port this year
- Body temperature measurement in a future generation
- The brand might tap into the hearing aids market thanks to new FDA rules
Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 15 series with USB-C port later this year. As confirmed by 91mobiles earlier, guidelines from the European Union have led the brand to take this step with their highest-selling product line, which earlier featured proprietary lightning ports. As per a new report from Mark Gurman, the AirPods Pro will follow suit. Further, the Bloomberg analyst tips that future generations of the AirPods Pro will come with health sensors, even doubling up as a hearing aid.
New charging case with USB-C port
Apple is said to bring an update to the charging case of the AirPods Pro with a USB-C port. No further hardware changes are expected in the model launching along with the iPhone 15 series, this fall. The Californian company is expected to move all its future audio products to the same connecter.
Body temperature sensor
While we might not see any major upgrades to AirPods Pro this year, a future generation of the product is expected to feature new health sensors. Sensors for features such as heart rate measurement were earlier rumoured to come with AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) but the product launched sans them last year. This new generation with major upgrades to the hardware might release in 2025 if the usual update schedule is followed.
These new sensors are expected to bring at least one new feature to the product — body temperature measurement. Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra launched last year featured sensors to measure a user’s wrist temperature during their sleep but the AirPods Pro will determine the same through their ear canals, which is said to be a more accurate method. The use case might expand to determining if the person has a cold or not and be able to track the same on command.
Positioning AirPods as hearing aids replacement
Gurman also stated that Apple has started working to position AirPods as a hearing aid. The brand already has features like Live Listen and Conversation Boost but new rules by USA’s FDA regulatory are now allowing the over-the-counter purchase of hearing aids without a prescription. The brand has already started hiring engineers from the field for this new effort. A hearing test feature will also allow users to check if they have any hearing impairments.
Apple’s highly anticipated fall event is expected to provide an update to its traditional lineup of products. The new Apple Watch range will include Series 9 and a new Ultra model while the iPhone 15 series will feature a top-of-the-line Pro Max model with a periscope zoom camera.
