Apple plans to build the next generation of AirPods Pro with higher-end tracking capabilities to help monitor health. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the third-generation AirPods Pro can be equipped with sensors to monitor a heartbeat and other physiological metrics.
These features will complement Apple’s focused health-related strategies, which have been actively integrated into devices. The heart-rate tracking feature, while a little less accurate than the tracking tool in Apple Watch, is expected to offer a similar service in terms of fitness and health. Apple is constantly striving to improve the accuracy of this functionality.
To engage the heart-rate monitor, users will have to wear both earbuds, and the details should flow smoothly to the Apple Health application. This integration is expected to be rather adjustable through Bluetooth characteristics, so the users can set it up to meet their needs.
The rumored AirPods Pro 3 health features could add an intriguing aspect to Apple‘s expanding wearable health tech environment. The earbuds' ability to monitor the heart rate during workouts might reduce the need for other wearables like wristbands or chest straps for the same purpose.
Apple's Health app integration could provide users with an improved view of their overall fitness. Data collected through AirPods Pro 3, along with those collected by other Apple products, could eventually assist in assessing and enhancing health. This development follows previous updates, such as the hearing aid capability to the AirPods Pro 2 on September 2024.
Although the battery life impact and the improvements in its precision are still unknown, these innovations show that the company continues to bring innovations through its wearable devices.
As development is still in the early stages, industry insiders suggest that the AirPods Pro 3 may launch these health features as early as 2027. This raises the question of whether later models of AirPods Pro can have other sensors, such as cameras and AI-powered health tools, giving a collection of more details to the user’s advantage.
The Health tracking feature in the newly released AirPods aligns with Apple’s diversification strategy into new markets, including smart home devices. The company aims to introduce an AI powered smart home hub in 2025, which will help in expanding the product portfolio but will also stay focused on innovation.