Apple Working on Adding Hearing Health Features to AirPods: Mark Gurman

Apple is reportedly planning to bring new health features to the AirPods product line, but not before 2025. The Cupertino-based tech giant is likely to add a hearing-based health feature to the AirPods, including “the ability to get hearing data of some sort,” according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. While Apple is yet to share any details about its plans to launch new health-centric features for the AirPods, previous reports have suggested that the firm is also working on a new version of its AirPods that will compete with less expensive wireless earbuds.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman states (via MacRumors) that Apple is working on new health sensors, including “the ability to get hearing data of some sort.” The feature is likely to arrive within the next couple of years, according to Gurman. This hints that the new health sensors on AirPods could be seen in 2025.

Gurman notes that Apple has already been working on more hearing-related features that are available on AirPods Pro models, including Live Listen and Conversation Boost. However, these features are yet to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

According to an older report from 2016, the company was previously working on health monitoring sensors for future AirPods models. The feature would reportedly help measure temperature, heart rate, perspiration levels, and more, through skin contact and via built-in motion sensors.

Meanwhile, Apple is also reportedly working on a new generation of AirPods that may be dubbed as AirPods Lite. The purported AirPods are likely to compete with more affordable earphones with a target price of $99 (roughly Rs. 8,000). Additionally, there could also be an improved version of the AirPods Max over-the-ear headphones. Apple currently offers AirPods 2 for Rs. 14,900, while the AirPods 3 are priced at Rs. 19,900 in India.