Apple patent applications describe an earbud-based fitness monitoring system.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously hinted at the company’s intent to add biometric health monitoring capabilities to future AirPods models.
After adding several life-saving health features to its smartwatches, US-based tech giant Apple is reportedly planning to release the new AirPods with health tracking features soon. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s AirPods could gain more prominent hearing health features over the next two years.
In the latest edition of his newsletter, Gurman said Apple will upgrade the AirPods over the next two years to become a health tool, adding “the ability to somehow get hearing data.” The company has already added several hearing-focused features to the AirPods in recent years, such as Live Listen and Conversation Boost.
However, Gurman noted that such features have not yet been approved by the FDA or designed to serve as a hearing aid replacement. Given Apple’s health goals, he expects AirPods to adopt these kinds of features more officially in the near future, MacRumors reported.
The report further noted that Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously highlighted the company’s intent to add biometric health monitoring capabilities to future AirPods models.
Apple patent applications describe an earbud-based fitness monitoring system that integrates an advanced biometric sensor to detect physiological data, including temperature, heart rate, perspiration levels and more, through skin contact and built-in motion sensors.
Apple’s vice president of technology, Kevin Lynch, also hinted that AirPods could be a source of additional health data in the future, the report said.
Meanwhile, another report from Gurman says the first touchscreen Mac could be released as early as 2025. Also, the first touchscreen Mac is expected to continue to have a traditional laptop design, complete with a trackpad and keyboard.
Gurman says Apple engineers are actively developing a touchscreen Mac, and one of the first touchscreen Macs could be an OLED version of the MacBook Pro.
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