Apple Inc. AAPL is taking its AirPods to the next level with plans to introduce heart rate monitors, temperature sensors, and even cameras to boost AI capabilities.
What Happened: In his “Power On” newsletter, Bloomberg columnist Mark Gurman reported that Apple's teams are currently experimenting with new improvements.
This includes heart rate monitoring, temperature sensing, and advanced sensors to track various physiological measures. The primary focus is to incorporate heart rate monitoring, a feature already available on the Apple Watch, into the AirPods.
It could debut with the next-generation AirPods Pro.
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Cupertino is also working on integrating cameras into the AirPods to facilitate AI services. The technology could take a couple more years to hit the market, provided it doesn't get canceled once again, said Gurman.
Why It Matters: In September, Apple announced a new suite of features for the AirPods Pro 2, including active Hearing Protection, a scientifically validated Hearing Test, and a clinical-grade Hearing Aid.
These advancements are awaiting approval from health authorities like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are expected to launch this fall in over 100 markets.
Apple’s wearables segment continues to be a significant revenue driver, with AirPods playing a key role.
In the fiscal fourth quarter, the wearables division generated $9.04 billion, though Apple's share in the true wireless stereo market has declined from 48.1% in 2019 to 17% today.
Price Action: Apple’s stock rose by 1.88% on Friday, ending the day at $254.49. Year-to-date, shares have increased by 37.09%, based on data from Benzinga Pro. The latest analyst reports from Morgan Stanley, Needham, and Wedbush have set an average price target of $277.67, indicating a potential upside of 8.74%.
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Photo courtesy: Apple
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