Apple wireless earphones are the most popular in the industry, thanks to the easy connect features and the ecosystem lock-in. The company continues to release new AirPods products; the most expensive option available as of yet is the AirPods Pro which costs $249 and supports noise cancellation.
It looks like Apple is not yet wrapping up the innovation in the AirPods field anytime soon. A new report by DigiTimes suggests that Apple is planning to add health monitoring features to its wireless earbuds in the near future.
The report suggests that Apple will use Ambient Light Sensors in the upcoming models of AirPods to collect data such as oxygen levels and heart rate of the user. Apple will very likely process all this data on the iPhone’s Health app which also maintains the health data collected from Apple Watch.
The DigiTimes report also adds that Apple will be working with ASE Technology to manufacture the ambient light sensors and hypothesizes – basically all the important parts required for the proper functioning of the health features in AirPods. These sensors would be used by Apple’s AirPods to monitor the user’s step count, head movements, and heart rate.
It’s unclear how Apple will fit all the necessary sensors in the current design of AirPods or if the company will release a newer AirPods model (with a new design) specifically to cater to the needs of health conscious people. Samsung also offers similar features on the Galaxy S9 – a heart rate measuring technology which works by shining a light through skin and measuring the variations in the reflected light.
Apple already offers features such as ECG in the Apple Watch. The company has also been rumoured to be working on a fitness band which would very likely be cheaper and affordable to the masses.
