Camera-equipped AirPods for AI-driven services might be in the works, too

Mark Gurman, the well-known Apple insider from Bloomberg, reports (subscription required) that Apple has been testing health-focused features like temperature sensing and heart rate monitoring for its AirPods. While the Apple Watch still has the edge in heart rate accuracy, Gurman notes that the AirPods aren't too far behind in their readings.

Apple's teams are said to be exploring various upgrades, from heart rate tracking to temperature sensors and even technologies to monitor multiple physiological metrics. However, the main focus right now seems to be perfecting heart rate monitoring.

While the Apple Watch already does this well, adding the feature to the AirPods could appeal to people who aren't into wearing watches or want a backup fitness tracker. If everything pans out, this could make its way into the next-gen AirPods Pro, which are reportedly in the early stages of development.

On top of that, Apple is apparently revisiting the idea of building cameras into the AirPods - a rumor that's popped up several times in the past year. Gurman says this project is now a priority as Apple looks to enhance its AI-driven features. Still, camera-equipped AirPods are likely years away and could even get scrapped again. Heart rate tracking, however, might arrive much sooner.