AirPods Pro 2 could act as heart monitor and hearing aid

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AirPods Pro 2 could act as heart monitor and hearing aid
AirPods Pro 2 will supposedly be a mix of AirPods Pro (right) with AirPods 3 (left).
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

It goes without saying that AirPods Pro 2 will offer better sound. Duh. But Apple also will add some surprise features to the next generation of its earbuds, according to a new leak. That includes heart rate detection and a new hearing aid feature.

Plus, the charging case supposedly will make the switch to USB-C, to match reports that iPhone 15 will dump the Lightning port.

AirPods Pro + AirPods 3 = AirPods Pro 2

AirPods have become an indispensable part of iPhone and Mac use for many people, both at home and at work. And active noise cancellation helped make AirPods Pro very popular.

But these truly wireless earbuds have been on the market since 2019, and there’s been significant technological advancement since then. So it’s no surprise a replacement is expected later this year.

AirPods Pro 2 will look much like AirPods 3 from 2021, but with the soft tips necessary for ANC, according to information leaked to 52audio. That means the stems aren’t going away, and the buttons will stay, too.

Audio improvements carrying over from AirPods 3 include “a combination of customized high-amplitude drive units and high-dynamic-range amplifiers,” according to 52audio.

The upcoming earbuds allegedly will offer “self-adaptive” ANC for a better listening experience. And better processor design will allow for a longer battery life.

AirPods Pro: Heart rate monitor and hearing aid?

AirPods Pro 2 will sport more than audio improvements. The earbuds supposedly will take advantage of their position in the ear to monitor their wearer’s heart rate. This would be a boon for runners, who wouldn’t need to wear an Apple Watch to get this feature.

This isn’t coming out of nowhere. Suggestions that AirPods will add heart-rate monitoring go back to at least 2020. Sensing the wearer’s body temperature is also a possibility.

The AirPods Pro charging case will get new features, too, according to 52audio. A built-in microphone will allow the case to work in tandem with AirPods Pro 2 to act as a hearing aid. The wearer could put the case near the person they’re talking to, and the case would receive their speech and send it straight to the wireless earbuds.

And the case reportedly will support Find My, as though it had a built-in AirTag tracker. If it’s misplaced, the user will be able to find the case with their iPhone. A speaker will allow it to play a tone to make the device easier to locate. This is already possible with recent AirPods models, but not the case.

Speaking of not getting lost, the case even allegedly will have a spot to string a loop so it can be attached to something else, like a key ring.

AirPods Pro 2 are expected to debut later in 2022. Pricing remains unknown at this point.

While 52audio isn’t well-known for Apple leaks, it did score 100% accurate AirPods 3 pictures  before that product’s launch.

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