The Apple AirPods Pro 2, the rumored follow-up to the noise-cancelling AirPods Pro, will reportedly launch in 2022 and support exclusive fitness tracking features.
According to Bloomberg, the release of second-generation AirPods Pro will make "the first change" to one of the best wireless earbuds since the pair of buds released in October 2019.
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While it's rumored the upcoming AirPods 3 will borrow elements of original AirPods Pro design, namely the shortened stems, the new Pro version will offer certain features that differentiate it from Apple's entry-level earbuds.
The AirPods Pro 2 will have updated motion sensors and a general focus on fitness tracking. Though the AirPods Pro already holds a spot on our list of the best workout headphones, offering a sweat-resistant build, active noise cancellation and hands-free Siri controls, a new model could raise the stakes with activity tracking stemming from your ears.
But it wouldn't be a novel concept. There are already headphones that can read your heart rate, while the Amazon Echo Buds 2 is capable of recording steps, distance, duration, calories, and pace in 'Workout' mode.
The AirPods Pro 2 could get similar tools, though any metrics collected via motion sensors or other internals would likely complement the health-tracking abilities of the Apple Watch. It's hard to imagine Apple releasing a product that could wholly replace its industry-leading wearable.
Beyond the rumored upgrades, we expect the AirPods Pro 2 will again have active noise cancellation and transparency modes, as well as support for spatial audio. We haven't heard anything yet regarding the AirPods Pro 2 battery life, so we're inclined to believe not much will change from the 4.5 hours of playtime (with 24 total hours through case charging.)
