Apple is continuously working to transition its AirPods into a health-centric device by offering several features. The company launched the AirPods Pro 2 with the new Hearing Aid feature which has been approved by the FDA. The accessory can be purchased over the counter as a hearing aid, and the company is not planning to stop there. It is now being reported that the AirPods Pro 3, which is slated to launch next year, will come with a heart rate sensor that you can also connect to equipment at the gym.
Apple’s next AirPods Pro 3 to feature heart rate monitoring, so users do not have to rely on their Apple Watch
Apple aims to turn the AirPods into a device that people can use instead of the Apple Watch as a dedicated health-focused accessory. Mark Gurman notes in his latest Power On newsletter that the heart rate monitor could be ready for the AirPods Pro 3, and currently, it is in the “early development” stage within the company.
Apple is not aiming to kill the Apple Watch market with the new heart rate monitoring feature on the AirPods Pro 3 but opening access to this capability to a wider range of users. The feature will be a pretty neat addition to the AirPods as users would not be inclined to wear their Apple Watch to the gym, and while it all boils down to preference, the company could aim to introduce more fitness features to the accessory in the near future,
However, there could be some caveats associated with the heart rate monitoring on the AirPods Pro 3, as the company’s internal testing has revealed that the results from the sensor are more accurate on the Apple Watch. This could be due to the smaller size of the AirPods Pro 3, as it will have limited space on the inside. It remains to be seen whether the company will use a miniaturized version of the same sensor as the Apple Watch or a different one altogether.
Other than the AirPods Pro 3, Apple is also rumored to bring the same heart rate monitoring for workouts. The latest findings indicated that users will be able to connect the Powerbeats Pro 2 with gym equipment to measure their heart rate. Potentially, the AirPods Pro 3 could also house the same feature, and the data will be synced with the Health app on the iPhone.
The Powerbeats Pro 2 is slated to be released next year, potentially alongside the AirPods Pro 3. It is not clear when the company will announce the new earbuds, but we can presume that the accessory will see daylight alongside the iPhone 17 lineup. We will share additional details on the AirPods Pro 3, so do stick around.