Use smarter directional skills
Last year, Apple launched a head-to-head sign control feature on AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods generation 4. Users can nod or shake their heads to receive or reject calls, interact with notifications without touching.
This year, Apple plans to expand this feature, allowing users to end the Conversation Awareness feature with just one first gesture, instead of having to hold or stroke the headphones as they have today.
Automatic pauses while sleeping
Many people have the habit of listening to music or podcasts before bed with AirPods. Instead of needing in-app timing (not supported by all apps), Apple is developing a self-recognizability feature when users sleep to automatically stop playback. It is not yet clear whether this feature works independently or in combination with the Apple Watch.
Control the camera from AirPods
After many years of waiting, Apple is about to let users use AirPods to remotely control the iPhone or iPad camera - similar to the previous wired headphones.
Autumn Festival Mic
Apple is developing a new micro mode for AirPods, promising to bring "study standard" recording quality. This feature is said to be inherited from audio Mix on iPhone 16, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to separate dialogue from background and can turn AirPods into a formidable competitor in the shirt-on-the-shoulder micro segment for content creators.
While these features may be delayed or changed, if some of them are announced at WWDC - Apple's Global Developer Conference, this will be a good sign for current users as Apple continues to prioritize software upgrades rather than just limited to new hardware products.
