It's no secret that the anticipated AirPods Pro 2 Bluetooth earbuds will look almost exactly like the current version, but, according to a new leak, the same might not be said for the charging case.
Not only will it get relatively subtle design updates, but some impressive new audio features.
According to 52Audio, which appears to be outlining a multitude of details from what might be Apple's own internal, leaked documents, the AirPods Pro 2 will offer all the features of the current model, but add, as expected, more health-related chops, including heart rate and temperature sensors. The report doesn't offer any fresh detail about how these features might work, though it refers to what may be an updated H1 chip to support these and myriad other capabilities.
The more interesting rumors revolve around audio enhancement to the case. That's right, according to 52Audio, the AirPods Pro case gets some microphones in the base - on either side of the Lightning (or USB-C) port. The microphones might be designed to collect ambient sound and deliver it directly to the AirPods Pro 2 earbuds for an enhanced hearing aid experience.
There are other interesting, though less ear...um...earth-shattering potential changes to the case like a new speaker hole that works with Apple's Find My to make a sound when you're trying to locate the case. AirPods can already do this.
There's also a new cutout on the side of the case that looks like it's designed to support the introduction of an AirPods Pro case lanyard.
Most of these design changes align with previous leaks, though the latest rumors offer a bit more context for how the AirPods pro 2 might use these features.
Hear me, maybe
Obviously, these are all just rumors. Apple has yet to confirm the existence of the AirPods Pro 2, though it's highly likely Apple will introduce an upgrade for this hugely popular audio product.
The addition of hearing-aid capabilities not only in the AirPods Pros themselves but the case makes perfect sense. For Apple, wearables are natural health devices. Most of the big Apple Watch updates have revolved around health and fitness monitoring and motivations.
We'll be shocked if the AirPods Pro 2 do not include heartrate tracking, as the current model is already protected against sweat and is meant to be a walking and workout companion.
Are we upset that we won't get a fresh new look? Not really, especially not if the next generation can make such a potentially big difference in how we hear the world around us.
While you wait for whatever Apple brings next, check out this comparison of the best spatial audio devices.
