Apple’s first-generation AirPods are outstanding, best-in-class, but they’ve been around for a while, and they’re the only Apple product category that hasn’t received an update in a while…until now.
Apple’s wireless AirPods already let you summon the voice assistant by physically tapping them, but the next iteration of the in-ear device will allow you to simply say, “Hey Siri,” as you would with your phone. Not only that, but a patent suggests that the AirPods case could become a portable media player — basically an iPod Nano in disguise. And they may be waterproof, too!
Feature Set
Past reports detailed Apple’s efforts to improve the next next generation of AirPods by adding noise-cancellation and water resistance. Apple also wants to ensure that these AirPods can work even when relatively far away from their companion smartphone or tablet. And while you won’t be able to jump into a pool wearing the AirPods, Apple hopes that you’ll be able to go on a long run (even in the rain) without having to worry about sweat or precipitation damaging the earbuds. Apple also is considering biometric functionality, such as a heart rate monitor.
Wireless charging
New images reveal Apple’s wireless charging case for the AirPods 2 — and it looks a lot like the current case. The new images, discovered in the release of the iOS 12 developer beta 5 by 9to5Mac, appear to indicate charging status. A green light presumably indicates that the devices are ready to rock, while a yellow light signals that the earbuds are actively charging.
A patent filed by Apple earlier in the year adds legitimacy to those early rumors that the company would release some form of a wireless-charging AirPod case, alongside a potential wireless-charging mat, sometime in March. Illustrations in the patent show what appear to be a case that looks remarkably similar to the AirPod case we’re already familiar with, but with the inclusion of wireless power receivers designed to interface with a charging pad. It’s possible this is simply a new case for existing AirPods, but it bolsters the belief that a new version of the fully wireless earbuds is coming.
Portable playback
A future generation of the Airpods could feature a case that acts as a stand-alone playback device. According to a patent filed by Apple, the company has devised a case that has built-in storage and playback controls, plus the ability to play audio through its charging port.
If paired up with Apple Music and a set of the company’s rumored sweatproof wireless earbuds, the addition of offline storage could mean that users won’t have to bring a bulky smartphone with them to their workouts.
Facelift
Speaking of patents, a pair of other patent filings suggest that we could see a refreshed design for its wireless buds — if not in the next generation, then in the rumored, water-resistant future model. The images associated with the first filing show an in-ear headphone that more closely resembles competitors like Jabra’s Elite 65t and Bragi’s The Headphone. It ditches the long, cylindrical sections that hang out of listeners’ ears on the current-generation AirPods. The patent images also show three different potential designs for sports fins to keep the headphones secure.
The second patent details the internal circuitry and communication technology for potential iterations of the AirPod, and both patents also mention the addition of other sensors, such as biometrics, accelerometers, and a pulse oximeter, which suggests that a future AirPod iteration could be explicitly designed for sports.
Release Date and Price
So when will we see Apple’s next gen AirPods? It’s anyone’s guess at this point. It’s expected that the new AirPods will come out at some point next year. For sure, something is on it’s way. And the cost? We suspect Apple won’t abandon the $150 price point, as it makes the company very competitive in the current market.
Apple Wearables are Hot
Whether or not these updated models arrive as planned, it’s a given that we will see some of them eventually, considering the current AirPods are selling like hotcakes. Luca Maestri, Apple’s chief financial officer, has said that wearables are the second-largest contributor to the company’s revenue, after the iPhone, and that sales in that category had jumped by 70 percent.
