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Powerbeats Pro 2 Leak Hints at Useful Health Feature Coming to AirPods

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Apple plans to add more health-related features to future AirPods models, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, and the upcoming Powerbeats Pro 2 might offer a hint.

AirPods-4-Ambient-Light-Heart-Health-Sensor-Feature.jpg

We previously reported that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will offer heart rate monitoring during workouts, and perhaps that feature will extend to AirPods in the future. Based on our iOS 18 code findings, you will be able to connect the Powerbeats Pro 2 to gym equipment like a treadmill to measure heart rate, and the data will be visible in the Health app and other supported apps on the iPhone. Apple previously announced that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will be released in 2025, and AirPods Pro 3 are also rumored to launch next year.

Heart rate monitoring has in fact been rumored for the AirPods Pro multiple times, but the feature has yet to come to fruition. With the feature now seemingly ready for Powerbeats Pro 2, though, it could finally come to AirPods too.

AirPods are also rumored to gain body temperature sensing in the future, after the Apple Watch Series 8 and newer gained a wrist temperature feature.

Article Link: Powerbeats Pro 2 Leak Hints at Useful Health Feature Coming to AirPods
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/11/12/powerbeats-pro-2-leak-hints-at-airpods-feature/
  • Haha
Reactions: DeepIn2U
I have an Apple gift card and am waiting for Airpod Pro's. I've been holding off on getting the Pro 2's and dealing with somewhat failing cheap buds. Hoping this comes to fruition sooner than later.

As they say, TAKE MY GIFT CARDS 🤣
 
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I’m surprised the Powerbeats line is getting major new health features before the AirPods are.

Honestly, it’s probably a little redundant if you’re an AirPods owner anyway. If you’re running with AirPods in your ears and want to track your heart rate, odds are you already have an Apple Watch. I’d be worried about battery life.
 
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Kylo83 said:
I dont get why earphones are focused on health features, why not audio features. I want lossless support, better sound quality, no one buys headphones for health features
Click to expand...

Because Apple has identified health as an area they can add features and make money (which I think is good for the record).

Also, the ear has a couple useful properties for health. I'm no medical expert but I believe it's a good place for measuring temperature and heart rate.

And of course the obvious hearing health features.

I'm not sure what else they could do to make them sound any better than they could at this size, aside from improving connectivity to allow lossless.

And in a wider sense, I like what Apple is doing here. I remember being fascinated by the early "MIT cyborgs" who were doing what were (and I guess still are properly called) Personal Area Networks back in the 90s. The ears are part of that. Apple hasn't got the eyes part down yet but clearly that's next.
 
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All I care about with ear buds is better sound quality when listening to music. Ticks me off I have to pay for crap that I don't want nor will ever use.
 
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Kylo83 said:
I dont get why earphones are focused on health features, why not audio features. I want lossless support, better sound quality, no one buys headphones for health features
Click to expand...
I would welcome seeing a feature that advises when you need a hearing aid!
 
CarAnalogy said:
Because Apple has identified health as an area they can add features and make money (which I think is good for the record).

Also, the ear has a couple useful properties for health. I'm no medical expert but I believe it's a good place for measuring temperature and heart rate.

And of course the obvious hearing health features.

I'm not sure what else they could do to make them sound any better than they could at this size, aside from improving connectivity to allow lossless.

And in a wider sense, I like what Apple is doing here. I remember being fascinated by the early "MIT cyborgs" who were doing what were (and I guess still are properly called) Personal Area Networks back in the 90s. The ears are part of that. Apple hasn't got the eyes part down yet but clearly that's next.
Click to expand...
I have a pair of AirPod Pro 1st gen as well as a pair of Sony wired $30 ear buds. The Sony buds have much better sound quality for music so there is a lot apple can still do in that regard.
 
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If it does anything to battery life, I'm instantly out

AP4 battery life (as an example), while still brand new, is just barely acceptable in my view
 
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ab2c4 said:
I have a pair of AirPod Pro 1st gen as well as a pair of Sony wired $30 ear buds. The Sony buds have much better sound quality for music so there is a lot apple can still do in that regard.
Click to expand...

Well they did, with the second gen. I had both and the second gen sound better. And if the third gen has better connectivity and the right high quality input, could sound better still. But at some point we reach the limits of what a speaker this small can physically do.

You mention that the Sony ones are wired. I'm a firm believer that wired is always better than wireless in terms of quality, everything except having to deal with the cable really.
 
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ab2c4 said:
All I care about with ear buds is better sound quality when listening to music. Ticks me off I have to pay for crap that I don't want nor will ever use.
Click to expand...
Agreed. And having to replace them when batteries eventually fail has me trying to reduce my dependence on them and only using them when necessary (gym).
 
oohhh I will be buying these and the AirPods Pro 3.

don’t really care for the health features but sure. just also make sure the audio/sound is great.
 
Hopefully there's a way to turn that feature off and save much needed battery power. I'd like to think if one has Apple/Beats EarPods things, one probably has Apple Watch which already does this. And Apple Watch has a bigger battery than anything one puts in one's ears. I'm unsure why Apple has decided to include this kind of feature in a device that goes in the ear.
 
I read this: "Based on our iOS 18 code findings, you will be able to connect the Powerbeats Pro 2 to gym equipment like a treadmill to measure heart rate…"

So the reading is actually coming from the heart rate monitor on the gym equipment? That's rich. When I use a treadmill or bike, it only reads my heartrate extremely sporadically, and not accurately, according to my Apple Watch. That feature isn't going to sell me new AirPods. Neither is body temp. I know if my temperature goes up, doesn't everyone?
 
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Kylo83 said:
I dont get why earphones are focused on health features, why not audio features. I want lossless support, better sound quality, no one buys headphones for health features
Click to expand...
Apple can’t magically give Bluetooth headphones lossless support, pretty sure it’s a limitation of Bluetooth
 
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