Apple’s AirPods Pro, which were released in October 2019, are long overdue for an upgrade. According to a new report, the refreshed AirPods Pro 2 will feature updated motion sensors that will allow them to track a user’s fitness.
AirPods Pro 2 could become a tool to monitor your health and fitness, similar to the Apple Watch
TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this year predicted that Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 will launch in the second half of 2022. As we have entered the predicted launch timeframe, there are more reports coming out about what we can expect from the refreshed earbuds.
In 2021, a Bloomberg report revealed that the AirPods Pro 2 will feature updated motion sensors with a “focus on fitness tracking”. This has been echoed by 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.
The Fitness app will use iPhone sensors to track steps, distance, and workouts. Since no major health sensors are going to be added to the Apple Watch in the next few years, the addition of fitness tracking to the AirPods Pro 2 could help the earbuds gather more activity data for users.
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.
Bloomberg’s Mark 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.
