According to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, the heart rate monitoring technology will likely be ready for the AirPods Pro 3, which are currently in "early development" at the company.
Equipping AirPods with heart rate measurement capabilities will help many customers access this feature for health and fitness purposes, without having to wear an Apple Watch.
During internal testing, Apple found that heart rate data on the Apple Watch was "more accurate" than on the AirPods, but Gurman said the AirPods' deviation was "not that large."
In addition, Apple's upcoming Powerbeats Pro 2 model will also have the feature of measuring heart rate during exercise. Based on findings from the iOS 18 source code, users can connect Powerbeats Pro 2 to gym equipment such as treadmills to measure heart rate, and this data will be displayed in the Health app and other supporting apps on the iPhone.
Apple previously announced that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will be released in 2025. Meanwhile, the exact launch date of the AirPods Pro 3 is still unknown.
As for the long-term goal, Gurman noted that Apple is planning to integrate small cameras into future AirPods models to support specific yet-to-be-announced AI features. The project is currently a “priority” for Apple but could take a few more years to complete.
