The report claims that their sources have informed them that Apple is exploring various ways in which the AirPods could be used as a health device. This includes features such as temperature sensing, using it as a hearing aid, and also taking advantage of motion sensors so that the AirPods can actually help correct your posture.
The report claims that we probably won’t be seeing such a device anytime soon, and that it would be 2022 at the earliest, if at all. This is because there could be some regulatory hurdles that Apple would need to clear, like with the FDA, if they hope to bring it to the market. The Apple Watch has some regulatory requirements like with the ECG monitor, which is why the feature wasn’t widely available globally at launch.
Apple had previously acknowledged that the AirPods could have health tracking potential, but stopped short of actually confirming that they were working on something. In the meantime, the third-gen AirPods is expected to arrive at Apple’s event next week, but don’t expect anything over the top.