By: Nick Gambino
In October, the AirPods Pro 2 received a software update that allowed the Apple headphones to be used as a hearing aid. The update also released a feature where users can test their hearing right there on the spot and then share the results with their doctor.
Now, a new report from trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that Apple is looking to add even more health features to AirPods in the future. This would make sense when you consider how popular the Apple Watch is due to its ability to track and monitor various functions of your body. If the tech giant can lean further into these types of features, they can bust open the doors even wider on an already popular accessory.
“This strategic positioning is expected to drive AirPods shipments from approximately 48 million units in 2023 to 53-55 million in 2024, 58-62 million in 2025, and 65-68 million in 2026,” Ming-Chi Kuo says in a blog post on Medium.
What that means exactly is not clear and the veteran analyst didn’t elaborate. But Apple has figured out ways to incorporate health management functionality in the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and now the AirPods Pro.
My guess is they can include more than just hearing related monitors in the earbuds. They might be able to include sensors that monitor heart rate or other organ functions. It’s already been suggested in the rumor mill that they plan to add body temperature sensors.
Beyond adding more sensors and hardware to the headphones, they could find additional uses for what’s already there. In other words, they might also use the hearing sensors to gauge other possible health issues. It’s been suggested that cardiovascular issues could be more easily detected in the ears.
Perhaps we’ll even see more tie-ins with the Apple Watch and its various health monitoring features. Whatever they come up with we’ll most likely see the first additions in 2025. So we’ll have to wait until then to see what they have in store.
