AirPods may get sleep tracking and camera control features, announcement expected at WWDC 2025
Apple will host its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 from 9 to 13 June. While the annual developer conference traditionally focuses on software platforms like iOS and macOS, this year, AirPods may steal some of the spotlight. According to a report by 9to5Mac, Apple is planning to give its AirPods a serious intelligence boost with new features such as sleep detection and hands-free camera controls.advertisementThe report suggests that Apple is testing several new capabilities aimed at enhancing how users interact with AirPods in everyday scenarios—without necessarily requiring new hardware. One of the standout features reportedly in development is sleep auto-pause. Many users fall asleep while listening to music or podcasts with their AirPods in, but currently have to rely on manual sleep timers or third-party workarounds.To help these users, Apple is said to be working on automatic sleep detection that would pause playback when it senses a user has dozed off. It's unclear whether this feature will work independently or require integration with the Apple Watch, which already tracks sleep, but it would certainly be helpful for bedtime listeners.
Another feature expected to draw attention is camera control via AirPods. This long-requested capability could finally allow users to snap a photo on their iPhone or iPad by tapping the stem of their AirPods—similar to how older EarPods could trigger the camera shutter with their inline remote, or how Apple Watch users can control the iPhone camera.advertisementMeanwhile, Apple is also rumoured to be exploring new head gestures for more intuitive control. Last year, the AirPods Pro 2 introduced subtle head movements to accept or decline calls and notifications. Now, the report suggests that Apple plans to expand these gesture controls to manage features like Conversation Awareness, which automatically lowers media volume during conversations. Instead of pressing or swiping the stem, users could simply nod or tilt their head to resume playback or toggle modes.For creators and content professionals, a studio-quality mic mode is also reportedly in the pipeline. The feature appears to draw inspiration from the iPhone 16's 'Audio Mix', which uses machine learning to enhance vocal clarity and reduce background noise.Additionally, the report hints at an improved AirPods pairing system for shared iPads, said to be designed to make it easier for students to quickly connect their AirPods to school-owned iPads without navigating complex Bluetooth settings.While all these features sound promising, it's important to note that they may not all be announced or released immediately. Apple often tests features internally or with select beta users before rolling them out more broadly.Meanwhile, WWDC 2025 is expected to be packed with software updates across iOS 26, macOS 26, iPadOS 26, and watchOS 26. The event will be livestreamed on Apple's official website and YouTube at 10:30 p.m. IST.
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