We’ve heard that Apple could be working on a new set of AirPods. It is anyone’s guess as to what these new AirPods could feature, but if there is one feature that has more or less been confirmed, it would be support for the “Hey Siri” command where users can speak to Siri directly from the AirPods without having to tap on them.
This is according to a report from 9to5Mac in which they discovered that within the latest beta release of iOS 12.2, there is a new setup screen that shows up when users are configuring their new AirPods. The description of the popup reads, “Talk to Siri with your AirPods or iPhone by saying ‘Hey Siri’”.
This is a similar setup that users encounter when they setup a new iPhone, in which users are asked to say “Hey Siri” in order for it to attune to their voices. This setup screen, unless made in error, confirms that the feature will be coming to the AirPods as well. What this means is that users can always about with their phones in their pockets or bags and still be able to activate Siri.
Other rumored features of the new AirPods includes health tracking, although what exactly is unclear (we’ve seen some headphones that can measure heart rate and O2 levels). It is also rumored to be water-resistant which means that users can go ahead and use them at the gym and give them a rinse afterwards without any issues.
Filed in . Read more about AirPods, Headphones, iOS, iOS 12 and Siri.