According to a new report, the next-generation AirPods Pro will be announced in a few days at Apple’s special fall 2022 event “Far Out,” on September 7 alongside the Apple Watch Series 8 and the iPhone 14 lineup.
AirPods Pro 2 to arrive soon with new fitness tracking capabilities, an upgraded wireless chip, and more
Numerous reports had pointed to a launch sometime this year but the AirPods Pro 2 could arrive sooner rather than later. In the latest edition of his “Power On” newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman said that he was told, “Wednesday will be their big unveiling.”
Gurman previously claimed that the second-generation AirPods Pro will feature a new stem-less form factor expected to match the design of Beats Fit Pro and Beats Studio Buds but it seems that the buds will feature the same design as the first-generation.
In 2021, a Bloomberg report revealed that the AirPods Pro 2 will feature updated motion sensors with a “focus on fitness tracking,” which has been echoed by TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In addition to this, earlier this year, the Cupertino tech giant was granted a new patent for AirPods titled “Wireless Ear Bud System With Pose Detection.” The third-generation AirPods and the original AirPods Pro feature a motion-detecting accelerometer, which enables Spatial Audio.
As per the patent, Apple wants to expand this sensor so that it can detect a user’s head movement and position. This could allow individuals to work out with proper posture.
The fitness features expected to be added to the AirPods Pro 2 will likely work in conjunction with the Apple Watch and Fitness+, further strengthening Apple’s ecosystem. Furthermore, we know the Apple Watch Activity Rings are going to be expanded to all Apple devices with iOS 16, so users who do not have an Apple Watch can better track their fitness and activity as well.
In addition to fitness tracking features, Kuo has previously said that the second-generation AirPods Pro will feature a “significantly upgraded” wireless chip compared to the H1 chip feature in the first-generation earbuds. The chip could result in improved battery life for a longer listening time. The earbuds will also support Apple Lossless (ALAC) format on Apple Music.
The analyst also previously claimed that the earbuds’ charging case will be able to emit a sound to indicate its location would work in conjunction with Apple’s Find My network. However, we do not know if Apple will include an Ultra-wideband (UWB) chip in the case to enable allow precise location tracking.
Lastly, it was revealed that the earbuds will retain the Lightning port for charging as some rumors pointed to the charging case featuring USB-C connectivity. The switch to USB-C for Apple products will take place next year.
In addition to this, Gurman also revealed some tidbits about the upcoming iPhone 14 lineup’s battery and eSIM functionality, the Apple Watch Pro, and Apple’s plans for its long-rumored AR/VR headsets in his newsletter.
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