Apple is working on a variety of health features for future AirPods, including heart rate monitoring and temperature sensing, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the heart rate technology could be ready for the AirPods Pro 3, which are in "early development" within the company.
AirPods getting heart rate monitoring would allow more customers to access this capability for health and fitness purposes, without needing to wear an Apple Watch. In internal testing, Apple has found that heart rate data is "more accurate" on the Apple Watch compared to AirPods, but he said the AirPods "aren't terribly far off."
Apple's upcoming Powerbeats Pro 2 will also offer heart rate monitoring during workouts. 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, but it is not entirely clear when the AirPods Pro 3 will launch.
As a longer-term goal, Gurman reiterated that Apple plans to add small cameras to future AirPods to enable unspecified AI-powered features. This project is now a "priority" for Apple, but likely still a few years away from completion, he said.
