AirPods could someday replace your Apple Watch — here’s how

AirPods could someday replace your Apple tree Watch — here's how

(Epitome credit: Future)

Apple tree's AirPods could one twenty-four hour period supercede the Apple Scout as the fitness tracking wearable of choice for iPhone users.

That's cheers to an Apple patent uncovered by Patently Apple that details how a pair of AirPods-similar wireless earbuds could be used to evangelize do guidance and track action and fitness data.

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The "wireless ear bud system with pose detection" patent describes how a pair of what could exist hereafter AirPods "may have sensors to assemble orientation information such every bit accelerometer measurements during user movements." Used in conjunction with an iPhone, the information could then be analysed and a fuel a coaching system that would provide the wearer with audio feedback and performance monitoring.

Apple ear buds patent — (Image credit: USPTO)

And it also details how the earbuds could house other sensors and control circuitry to monitor a person'due south motion based on the orientation of their head. And from those movements, the organisation volition infer the blazon of activity a person is doing and the poise they should have for information technology.

"Audible feedback may be provided to a user based on evaluation of user performance of the head movement routine." the patent summarized. "Other suitable actions may exist taken such as issuing performance reports and alerts. If desired, additional sensors may be used in gathering orientation information during user move routines and boosted evaluation, guidance, and feedback operations may be performed."

Effectively, Apple'south patent proposes a way to add in fettle and exercise features to a future pair of AirPods. We've already heard rumors that the AirPods 3 could come with an ambient calorie-free sensor to detect a person centre rate and infer specific health conditions from them. And then it wouldn't exist too big a spring in imagination to see next-generation AirPods come with some form of fitness tracking and coaching feature.

Given Apple tree expects people to utilise Siri with the AirPods, we don't think it would have too much trouble then having its in-ear headphones to feedback coaching advice. And when a paired iPhone is brought into the mix, a lot of the information collected by the earbuds could then be piped to the Apple tree smartphone and used to serve up richer fitness data combined with health data.

As the Apple tree Watch five still needs to be paired with an iPhone to go the near out of information technology, pairing sensor-equipped AirPods with an iPhone could be an alternative fashion to track fitness data and pursue health goals without the demand for a smartwatch.

This patent could pb to nowhere, as a lot of Apple patents practice. But it does give us a glimpse at where the AirPods might become next to stand up out from rivals such every bit the Pixel Buds 2 and upcoming Galaxy Buds Live.

Roland Moore-Colyer is U.K. Editor at Tom's Guide with a focus on news, features and stance manufactures. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he's also got an interest in cars. When not at his desk Roland tin can exist establish wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face up.