Tag: Apple

Apple has placed a lot of emphasis on health and fitness features in recent years, particularly visible in the Apple Watch . Now the company seems to want to take the next step by introducing similar health features to the world of headphones. Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that Apple could integrate health-related technologies into future AirPods models, and the Powerbeats Pro 2 may be a first indication of this. These headphones could not only set new standards in terms of sound and comfort, but could also be particularly interesting for sports and health.

Heart rate monitoring during training

A key new feature of the Powerbeats Pro 2 is heart rate monitoring. During your workout, you can use these headphones to continuously monitor your heart rate without having to wear additional devices, as MacRumors now reports based on iOS 18 code. The data is recorded directly and can be transferred to your iPhone. In the Health app and other supported fitness apps, you get a central overview of your health data, which allows you to track your training progress precisely. This heart rate monitoring should be of interest to a wide range of users – from competitive athletes who want to accurately measure their performance to people who simply want to track their health and fitness. The advantage here is that the Powerbeats Pro 2 sit firmly in the ear and thus offer a stable and reliable measurement that optimally complements your training.

Connection to fitness equipment and other features

Based on the iOS 18 code, it is clear that the Powerbeats Pro 2 can be connected to fitness equipment such as treadmills. This means that the headphones automatically exchange data with your fitness equipment during training, giving you a more precise measurement of your heart rate and other relevant training data. This integration into the Apple ecosystem makes it particularly easy to manage all your health data in one place. The connection to fitness equipment extends the functionality of the Powerbeats Pro 2 and can significantly improve your training experience. All data is seamlessly synchronized and stored so that you can access a detailed analysis in the Health app even after training. This is a significant step as it allows you to comprehensively record your training data and track it over the long term.

Potential for future AirPods models

There has been speculation for some time that the AirPods Pro 3 could also be equipped with heart rate monitoring. However, this function has not yet been implemented. However, the launch of the Powerbeats Pro 2 and its heart rate measurement could mark the start of the development of this technology in the AirPods. Analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo assume that the third generation of the AirPods Pro – expected to be on the market next year – could also have a health function such as heart rate monitoring integrated. This would be a big step, as the AirPods would then be more than just headphones; they would become a mobile health monitoring tool and could expand the entire user experience in Apple’s ecosystem.

Body temperature measurement for AirPods in the pipeline?

Another exciting rumor revolves around the possibility that future AirPods models could also offer body temperature measurement. Temperature measurement via the wrist was already introduced in the Apple Watch Series 8. The AirPods could theoretically also take on such a function, which would open up many new application possibilities, especially in the health and fitness sector. This would mean that the AirPods could not only improve your music enjoyment but also provide you with valuable health data.

Release and availability of the Powerbeats Pro 2

Apple has confirmed that the Powerbeats Pro 2 is expected to be launched in 2025. For users, this means that they will need a little patience before the new functions are available in the headphones. However, the delay suggests that Apple is working hard to optimize the technology and ensure that heart rate monitoring and device connection work seamlessly and reliably.

Apple sets new standards: headphones with health features

The Powerbeats Pro 2 have the potential to take the use of headphones to a new level by combining sound, comfort and health functions. They are an exciting choice, especially for fitness and health-conscious people, and could become the ideal companion for your workout thanks to heart rate monitoring and integration into the Apple ecosystem. It remains to be seen whether these functions will also find their way into the AirPods. But the development shows that Apple remains innovative and is increasingly oriented towards the needs of users in the health and fitness sector. 

As part of the iOS 18.2 public beta, Apple just introduced a big upgrade to the Find My feature that lets you share an Air Tag location with others. The new feature, called Share Item Location, could let you share the location of lost luggage with an airline.

“Find My is an essential tool for users around the world to keep track of and find their belongings,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. “With Share Item Location, we’re excited to give users a new way to easily share this information directly with third parties like airlines, all while protecting their privacy.”

Apple said more than 15 airlines will offer the feature “in the coming months,” including Delta, United, Air Canada, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, Aer Lingus, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, SWISS, Turkish Airlines, and Vueling. More airlines will follow “over time.”

United is aiming to implement the feature systemwide in “early 2025,” according to a quote the airline provided in Apple’s press release.

The feature will be integrated into each airline’s customer service process for locating mishandled or delayed baggage, according to Apple. This will make it easier for the airline to help find lost bags with an AirTag attached to them.

Apple said it worked directly with airlines to put systems in place to “privately and securely” accept the “Share Item Location” links. Access to each link will be “limited to a small number of people,” and recipients will be required to “authenticate” to view the link through either their Apple Account or partner email address. The item’s location will stop being shared “as soon as a user is reunited with their item,” or at any time that the item’s owner decides. An item’s shared location will automatically expire after seven days.

In addition to items equipped with an AirTag, the feature also works with third-party accessories and item trackers that support the Find My network.

According to Apple’s announcement, for those who have iOS 18.2 beta access, Share Item Location is available “in most regions worldwide.” However, if you have an iPhone X or later, Apple says that the update will come out “soon.”

Apple’s foray into the XR wearable segment may not have stirred the same kind of success that it tasted with the likes of theiPhoneor theApple Watch, but the company is still moving ahead with future iterations. While plans of a cheaper headset may have been pushed, the Vision Pro could get a successor within a year, or so.

In the latest Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg reported that the 2nd generation of Apple Vision Pro is expected to hit the market between fall of 2025 and spring of 2026.That window puts the official reveal in roughly the same frame as the launch of updated iPhones and the sporadic Mac hardware.

As far as changes go, Apple is reportedly experimenting with multiple ideas. But Gurman claims that one of the design candidates for the Vision Pro 2 would look exactly like its predecessor. That won’t be out of character for Apple, as the company regularly iterates on internal hardware without changing the external aesthetics of its gear across the iPhone, Mac, or Apple Watch portfolio.

It sounds like a sane strategy Vision Pro successor because it’s a product with arguably the most sophisticated engineering work that Apple has delivered in years. It would make sense — especially from an R&D investment perspective — to maintain the fundamental architecture and make upgrades where it’s needed, which is added processing firepower and a refined software experience.

As a refresher, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported last week that Apple had seriously delayed its plans for a cheaper Apple Vision headset, and would instead be focusing on a second generation Apple Vision Pro to release next year.

Apple plans to upgrade the Vision Pro 2 from the M2 chip to the upcoming M5 chip, delivering a massive performance boost. Apple unveiled the first gen Vision Pro with the then-latest M2 chip, but the quick release of the M3 and M4 chips soon after made the $3,500 spatial computer feel a bit dated.

At least this time around, Apple Vision Pro should be getting M5 around the same time as the first Macs will get M5, so it shouldn’t feel as dated, hopefully.

Apple is still trying to figure out the best recipe for an affordable Apple Vision Pro and it has given itself plenty of time to do so – the headset has reportedly been delayed beyond 2027. 

Back in 2023, it was believed that a future variation of the Apple Vision Pro would get a brighter display than the original model. Then in June 2024, Apple was reported to be looking to add component suppliers for that new headset.

Now according to The Elec, Apple has two choices regarding the displays. Both options relate to how a color filter can be added to an OLED panel.

One is W-OLED+CF. This dense acronym describes a White OLED board with a Color Filter (to form the red, green and blue colors). This is built onto a glass plate instead of silicon.

But there are two ways to build the color filter. The more traditional option is to build the color filter on a second glass sheet. This is established technology, but since there’s an extra piece of glass involved, it is thicker.

The option that Apple is leaning towards is to build the color filter on the Thin-Film Encapsulation (TFE) of the first glass sheet, removing the requirement for a second sheet.

Samsung is developing panels for Apple Vision Pro

Samsung is using such a technology to build the screens for its foldable phones.Samsung has previously been reported to be aiming to supply Apple with this technology. Specifically, while the current Apple Vision Pro’s OLEDoS (OLED on Silicon) display panels use a form of W-OLED+CF, Samsung has a process to incorporate RGB pixels right into the panel.

There’s an issue, however. Even though Apple is targeting less than half the pixel density of the pricey Vision Pro, 1,500ppi vs. 3,391ppi, that is still well above the typical density of a folding screen. Looking at the current crop of Z-foldables, the most dense display belongs to the Galaxy Z Flip6 at 426ppi. That is a third of what’s needed.

Of course, 1,500ppi is way overkill for a mobile device and 400+ ppi is quite enough (rigid flagships are typically 500ppi or so). But that still means that Samsung Display has to develop higher density panels for the XR headset. The two-glass solution hasn’t been completely ruled out yet.