Photo: MacRumors
Apple might release a USB-C case for the AirPods Pro. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has new details on what to expect from Apple's AirPods Pro this year and beyond. In his latest Power On newsletter, he claims that Apple will release a USB-C case for AirPods Pro along with the iPhone 15 lineup, which is also rumoured to ditch the Lightning port for USB-C.
This would align with a report from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in March, who said that a second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case would arrive later this year. However, Kuo was unsure if there would be any other hardware changes for AirPods Pro in 2023, and Gurman seems to agree.
On the software front, Gurman says Apple is working on a new hearing test feature for AirPods Pro that could detect potential hearing problems. The feature—which would be part of iOS 17's upcoming AirPods enhancements—would "play different tones and sounds to allow the AirPods to determine how well a person can hear."
Gurman also reiterates previous rumours that Apple is developing more health sensors for future AirPods models. One of them is the ability to measure body temperature from the ear canal, which is supposedly more accurate than measuring it from the wrist, as the Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra models do during sleep.
Additionally, Gurman says Apple is exploring how to make AirPods more like hearing aids by building on existing features like Conversation Boost and Live Listen. These features are not yet approved by regulators. But the FDA relaxed hearing aid purchase rules last year, reportedly prompting Apple to hire engineers from traditional hearing aid makers and take advantage of the opportunity in the market.