Apple is planning a series of major upgrades for the AirPods, according to a new report.
New software features will allow users to control their iPhone’s camera with their earphones, among other changes, according to a report from 9to5mac. Users will be able to press the stalk of their earphones to have their camera take a picture, it reported.
That would join similar camera controls on the Apple Watch, which can already work as a remote for the iPhone.
All of the changes are expected to be announced next week at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, where it typically reveals new software changes. It begins on Monday, 9 June.
Apple is also planning a feature that will detect when the person wearing AirPods falls asleep, and pause their music. Many people opt to wear the earphones in bed – in part because they are noise cancelling – but that can mean leaving music or podcasts playing long after they have fallen asleep.
It is unclear whether that feature will use the sleep tracking present in the Apple Watch or if the AirPods will be able to detect the sleep on their own. While Apple has long been rumoured to include activity tracking in future earphones, and the most recent Beats ones include a heart rate tracker, the AirPods have no sensors that would make it easy to detect if their owner has fallen asleep.
Apple could also add new features to make the AirPods more useful as a microphone. Last year, Apple launched a new feature for the iPhone that allows it to isolate and improve audio – and the AirPods could be used in much the same way, the report suggested.
The update could also bring ways of controlling the “conversation awareness” feature that turns down the volume when people speak with AirPods on, as well as better ways to pair them with shared iPads so that they can be used in situations such as schools.
Apple has used its WWDC event to launch new software features for the AirPods, which tend to come as part of the introduction of the new version of iOS. Last year, for instance, Apple added head gestures that allow people to shake or nod their head to control their AirPods.
