Speaker 1: Apple event season is in full swing and it’s time to let loose, or at least that’s what Apple’s telling us on May seven. We’re expecting to find out more about new iPads and the Apple pencil, but it’s interesting timing to announce new hardware a month or so before that other Big Apple event coming up. WW DC software updates are expected across the board for all Apple products, including those iPads, but there are also plenty of juicy rumors hinting at what’s next for AirPods. This year we could be getting two new regular AirPods with a new design and USBC charging case, [00:00:30] but I’m left wondering if there’s one more big feature hiding in the AirPods. Let’s go over the rumors. What’s fake and what’s more practical to come in the AirPods this year and what we’re all wishing for. I’m Lexi TI filling in for Bridget Carey this week.
Speaker 1: And this is one more thing. These wireless earbuds are more important to Apple than you might think. Not only do they bolster the bottom line and have helped Apple’s entire wearables category outpace the iPad and Mac in sales growth, but they’re also the most affordable entry point into Apple’s wearable line. [00:01:00] Bloomberg reports production of the fourth generation airports is kicking off in May with a record setting run around 20 to 25 million units are expected to roll off the line for a launch sometime in September or October. There may be two versions and entry level and a mid tier with a new design, both with USBC and the ladder might also have noise cancellation and speakers in the case, so you can ping them from the find my app just like you can with the AirPods Pro two and if you’re keeping track all signs point to New AirPods Pro in [00:01:30] 2025 rather than this year.
Speaker 1: But something that’s cropped up again recently is talk of AirPods with a screen. You might remember Bridget mentioning this on an episode of one More Thing last year and just a few weeks ago, Dave 2D on YouTube showed off a supposed AirPods with a screen in the case. Admittedly, yes, they look pretty cool, but fakes are doing the rounds online. Of course now this isn’t a new concept. Earbuds with a screen already exist. JBL has the Tour Pro two and a quick Amazon search will bring up plenty [00:02:00] of more cheap options that you can buy. Now, this just brings up so many more questions for me on how Apple could justify making AirPods with a screen. Yeah, it looks kind of neat, but every device that you connect your AirPods to already has a way to see what you’re playing already, whether that’s your iPhone, the Apple Watch, or even the Apple tv.
Speaker 1: Now, maybe they could have some storage in them so you could use them standalone like an iPod. Okay, maybe not. But with all the tech nostalgia currently going on from flip phones to point and shoot digital cameras, [00:02:30] it might not feel that out of place to bring back the iPod, at least in spirit. Now there are some simple more practical things that I want in the next model, especially after having used and reviewed pretty much all the AirPods models at this stage. Really a better fit is key because the AirPods three just weren’t really a good fit for a lot of people, and two versions is smart, especially if Apple can get the lower end one around a hundred to $120. That would make them very tempting. And of course I also ask Cena’s audio expert and airport’s reviewer David Carnoy [00:03:00] about what he wants in the AirPods four.
Speaker 2: Hi Lexi. Well, at the top of my wishlist would be some design tweaks that would keep the next AirPods in my ears better. The AirPods three fit my ears more securely than the AirPods two, which I know work better for people with small ears, but I always want the AirPods to have a more grippy finish, not just a glossy hard plastic finish. That’s probably not going to happen, but we could see some changes to design that perhaps improve their fit. Upgrading the AirPods four with an H two chip would also [00:03:30] be nice. That would enable the AirPod Pro Twos conversation awareness feature that pauses your music when you start talking, and maybe that chip also helps with digital processing, improving sound quality a bit along with voice calling performance. I would expect Apple to upgrade the microphones in some way as well. I think we all want to see them cost a little less. There will be a B, C charging, but it’d be cool if the charging case converted into a Bluetooth transceiver, so you could use your AirPods with an in-flight entertainment system without having to buy [00:04:00] a separate accessory. I’ve seen the rumors about a mini touchscreen embedded in the case to control playback. That would be interesting, but I wouldn’t say that feature is all that high on my wishlist.
Speaker 1: I’d also love to know what you want on the next AirPods, so let me know in the comments. Apple has been notoriously good about bringing new stuff to the AirPods through software updates, unlocking features that we didn’t even know existed until way after launch. For example, the original [00:04:30] AirPods Pro got spatial audio with a release of iOS 14, and that’s when we found out that the earbuds actually have accelerometers and gyroscopes in them for head tracking. And more recently, the Airports Pro two got features like conversational awareness and personalized spatial audio when iOS 17 dropped. Now for more hidden features in the airports you might not know about, you can check out my video uncovering tips and tricks right up here. More than any other Apple product I can think of. The AirPods seem to get the most exciting surprise updates through software and with iOS 18 and WW [00:05:00] DC coming right up.
Speaker 1: That could be something like a hearing test feature or a hearing aid mode. There’s been talk of Apple looking into hearing aid functionality for a while, and the groundwork is already there. The headphone accommodation section in your AirPod settings let you customize a whole range of audio options and even upload an audiogram to boost the sound quality specifically tuned to your hearing needs. Environmental sound reduction and adaptive transparency mode also fit neatly into this hearing health bucket. [00:05:30] Speaking of health, it’s no secret that this has been a big focus area for Apple in the past 10 years. The company has been pushing into heart health with the Apple Watch mobility, with walking, steadiness detection on the iPhone, hearing with the features that we just talked about and safety with fall detection and emergency SOS just to name a few, but I think the airports could be another key product that pushes Apple further into this domain.
Speaker 1: A few years ago, there were rumors of the AirPods having a heart rate and body temperature sensor. Now that didn’t happen. The AirPods Pro two, but it is something that Apple is experimenting [00:06:00] with, or at least so the rumors say, instead of relying on a watch, the AirPods could take your pulse from your ear. Now, you might think that the ear is a bit of an odd place to get a heart rate reading from, right? Well, actually it could be one of the best places without getting too into the weeds here, taking a reading from your ear can give you a clearer signal than taking that reading off your wrist. Just think about it. Your wrist is constantly moving around while your ear remains relatively stable and earbuds that read your heart rate are a thing. And now I’ve been testing [00:06:30] out the sehi a Momentum Sport Earbuds for a couple of weeks now, and they do have a heart rate sensor integrated into the earbuds.
Speaker 1: They’re a little chunky to wear when you put them in your ears, but you can see your heart rate during a workout and of course afterwards, and it’s super helpful to see all of this data consolidated in your workout app and not have to think about wearing both a watch and earbuds when you’re working out. There’s one more interesting patent that I want to pick your brain about Now. It was filed in 2023, but it’s recently been doing the rounds again. It shows AirPods [00:07:00] with sensors such as an EEG, essentially able to detect brain activity. Now, the patent describes an electrode on the bottom of the stem that you can press to start an EEG session or potentially take an ECG just like the Apple Watch does. Now at this stage, the pattern doesn’t really tell us how Apple could use all of these sensors, but other wearables that do have EEG in them do exist like the Muse two headband that uses biofeedback to help promote relaxation and sleep.
Speaker 1: Also interesting in [00:07:30] this pattern is mention of galvanic skin response. Now that is something that we’ve seen on other wearables like the Fitbit Sense. This sensor known as EDA or Electrodermal activity detects minute changes in sweat on your skin, which can help determine stress levels. I reviewed the Fitbit Sense when it first came out and found that the stress detection feature was kind of more confusing than helpful. It just still seems like cool tech that’s not quite ready for prime time. And even if these patents never make their way to a finished product, I do like how Apple is exploring ways [00:08:00] to AMP up its wearable range from being just entertainment and second screen devices to turning them into fully fledged health tools. Now, would you be into meditation AirPods? Bridget will be back next week for one more thing, so keep those comments coming as I know she’d love to hear what you think. Thanks for watching and I’ll catch you next time.
