New AirPods Pro just tipped with a big health upgrade — here's what we know

AirPods Pro 2 in hand
(Image credit: Future)

The next few years could be a big deal for new Apple releases, according to analyst Ming Chi-Kuo. Writing in a new blog post, Kuo claims that there will be two more Apple products on the way in 2026 — a smart home camera and a more health-centric version of the AirPods.

Kuo claims that mass production on a new wireless smart home IP camera is set to begin at some point in 2026 — with the goal of shipping “tens of millions” of units each year. Kuo doesn’t go into many details about the camera itself, only that he expects it will be “significantly enhanced” by Apple’s existing product ecosystem and links to both Siri and Apple Intelligence.

We’ve seen other companies do this in the past, like Samsung’s heart-rate tracking in Galaxy Buds. However these features often come at the expense of battery life, and considering the buds' small size, Apple is going to have to ensure people can still use AirPods for extended periods.

It’s been rumored that the upcoming Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 will come with heart rate monitoring, so this could be an indicator of how Apple plans to expand health-based features onto the flagship AirPods buds.

It’s going to be a while before we actually get to see and try these new products for ourselves. But it does mean that Apple is expanding beyond its usual array or products and into new areas — which has taken long enough. Let’s just hope they don’t get delayed.

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Tom Pritchard
UK Phones Editor

Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.