Upgraded Motion Sensors in AirPods Pro 2 to Enable Fitness Tracking

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro could feature fitness tracking capabilities for the first time thanks to updated motion sensors, reports indicate.

apple airpods pro snap
Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the second-generation ‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌ will feature updated motion sensors and have a focus on fitness tracking. Previously, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that Apple was looking to add health and fitness features to AirPods in the long term.

Notably, Apple has patented an in-ear fitness monitoring system that integrates an advanced biometric sensor to detect physiological metrics including temperature, heart rate, perspiration levels and more, through skin contact and via built-in motion sensors.

Little else is currently known about how fitness tracking on the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ could work, but integration with the Apple Watch's Activity Rings seems highly likely if the feature does emerge later this year. Apple's upcoming software update for the iPhone, iOS 16, expands the Move ring to all users, even if they do not own an Apple Watch, letting them set up a daily Move goal in the Fitness app and see how their active calories help to close their ring. Users can also share their Move ring with friends for added motivation.

The ‌iPhone‌'s motion sensors can track steps, distance, flights climbed, and workouts from third-party apps, which can be converted into an estimation of active calories to contribute to users' daily Move goal. Leveraging AirPods to gather further activity data, especially for users who do not have an Apple Watch, may now be more likely given Apple's upcoming expansion of the Move ring to all iPhones.

Beyond fitness tracking capabilities, the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ are expected to feature the same design as the current model, skin-detect sensors instead of IR sensors, a "significantly upgraded" wireless chip, support for Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) playback, and a sound-emitting charging case for location-tracking purposes.

Kuo, Gurman, and Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes have repeatedly said that the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 will launch in the second-half of 2022. Kuo has narrowed down the launch of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 to the fourth quarter of 2022, which runs from October through December of the year, so the new model is now likely just a matter of months away. For more information, see our detailed AirPods Pro 2 guide.

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro Mock Feature Buttonless

iPhone 15 Pro Max to 'Break Record' for Thinnest Bezels on a Smartphone

Friday March 17, 2023 2:59 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will have the thinnest bezels of any smartphone, beating the record currently held by the Xiaomi 13. That's according to the leaker known as "Ice Universe," who has divulged accurate information about Apple's plans in the past. Both iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have thinner, curved bezels compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, potentially resulting in an Apple...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Launching This Year With These 11 New Features

Monday March 13, 2023 6:47 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 lineup is around six months away, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes are expected for the iPhone 15 Pro models in particular, including a titanium frame and more. Below, we have recapped 11 features rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A17...
iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Feature

iPhone 12 Pro vs. 15 Pro: New Features to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade

Friday March 17, 2023 10:29 am PDT by
While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always groundbreaking, new features can begin to stack up over multiple generations. For example, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a three-year-old iPhone 12 Pro. If you are still using an iPhone 12 Pro and are considering upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro when it launches later this year, we have put together a...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Predicted to See First Price Increase Since iPhone X

Wednesday March 15, 2023 7:49 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will likely be more expensive than previous Pro models, according to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities. In a research note this week, Pu predicted the iPhone 15 Pro models will see a price increase due to several rumored hardware upgrades, including a titanium frame,...
maxresdefault

T-Mobile to Acquire Ryan Reynolds' Mint Mobile Brand

Wednesday March 15, 2023 3:33 pm PDT by
U.S. carrier T-Mobile today announced that it plans to acquire Mint Mobile, the affordable smartphone brand that is promoted by and backed by actor Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds and T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert teamed up for a video letting customers know about the coming acquisition. The deal is for Ka'ena Corporation, the parent company of Mint Mobile, Ultra Mobile, and Plum, with T-Mobile paying...
youtube tv

YouTube TV Price Goes Up to $73 Per Month

Thursday March 16, 2023 11:46 am PDT by
YouTube today announced that it is increasing the price of the YouTube TV service, with the cost set to go from $65 to $73 starting today. New members will need to pay $73/month for the streaming service starting now, while prices will increase for existing members on April 18. According to YouTube, the price is increasing because "content costs have risen" and it needs to charge more to...