We’ve heard for quite a while that Apple is working on AirPods models that pack additional health features beyond the hearing health features that it can already offer. As a reminder, the AirPods Pro can now perform hearing tests and work as cheap hearing aids, which is an amazing feature to have on hand. Future models could also track more health parameters, with heart rate being one of the easy-to-guess ones.
Ming-Chi Kuo, a trusted Apple analyst who sources his information from the company’s ample supply chain in Asia, says in a new report that Apple might launch AirPods with health features as soon as 2026. More interesting in that report is a different product set for release in the same year, Apple’s first smart home IP camera.
I’m a big fan of tracking my health with the Apple Watch, and I think it’s great to see the AirPods Pro get hearing aid capabilities. It would be amazing if the AirPods could collect other health parameters.
Kuo doesn’t specify which health tracking abilities the AirPods of 2026 will get. He only says that the AirPods “are being repositioned to focus on health management, with future models integrating more health management features.”
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Apple thinks the health features will improve sales significantly. Apple will sell between 53 and 55 million AirPods units, a considerable increase from 48 million in 2023. Kuo sees Apple selling 65 to 68 million units in 2026 as a result of the added health tracking features.
As exciting as that sounds for this AirPods user, I’m also excited to hear that Apple is working on smart home IP cameras of its own.
I say that as someone who travels to all sorts of places to run marathons. I always carry an Arlo smart home camera that I set up in hotel rooms or Airbnbs for extra peace of mind. That’s because I have Arlos at home, so that was a no-brainer decision. Apple moving into the same space would be an interesting prospect.
Why? Kuo explains: “The smart home IP camera, scheduled for production in 2026, is designed to integrate seamlessly with other Apple hardware products via wireless connectivity.”
I would surely want an easy-to-setup, cloud-connected Apple smart home camera that can be easily accessed and managed from a nearby iPhone, iPad, and Mac. “I believe the user experience will be significantly enhanced by Apple’s great ecosystem and deep integration with Apple Intelligence and Siri,” Kuo says, practically echoing my hopes for such a device.
Kuo says Apple plans to eventually sell over 10 million units of its smart home camera a year. Right now, smart home IP camera shipments reach 30 to 40 million units a year.
The analyst says that Goertek is the company that has secured orders for these 2026 Apple products. It’ll be the primary supplier of AirPods with health features and the exclusive manufacturer of Apple’s first smart home camera.
