AirPods 2 News: Hotly Anticipated Headphones Expected to Release 2018 are Getting More Siri Voice Controls
Over a year since the first AirPods were made available in stores, there are speculations that Apple is now updating the hardware with more Siri voice controls and could be looking at a possible release this year.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple insiders reportedly revealed that the Cupertino, California, technology giant was planning to release regular hardware updates for the AirPods. This year, the company is expected to unveil what is being dubbed as the AirPods 2 with several significant improvements.
One of the reported new features in the AirPods 2 is the addition of more voice-activated controls so users can activate the smart assistant Siri remotely on their iPhones. The improved Siri support is also expected to work with HomePod as well.
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The AirPods 2 is also rumored to add a water-resistance feature. However, it will more likely be able to protect the wearable device from splashes of water and rain and will not be similar to the Apple Watch Series 2 that has been advertised to work even when the user goes swimming. But with its aim to continuously update the AirPods line every year, Apple is expected to enhance future AirPods' durability when it comes to water-resistance starting in 2019.
Apple's ultimate wireless earphones are also reportedly receiving improved connectivity functions as it incorporates the company's very own W2 chip that was previously introduced on the Apple Watch Series 3. In the case of the latest Apple smartwatch, one of the benefits that the W2 offered lies in the WiFi connection that was promised to have been improved by 85 percent. This is likely to be one of the highlights of the W2-powered AirPods 2.
Meanwhile, it is not surprising to hear that Apple wants to make some improvements on the AirPods in the coming years, considering how well it - as well as other wearables - contributed to its revenue growth.
In the company's Q1 2018 Earnings Conference Call held earlier this month, Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri said (via Seeking Alpha): "When we add the results from Beats and AirPods, our total revenue from wearables was up almost 70% year-over-year. In fact, wearables were the second largest contributor to revenue growth after iPhone."
Apple is yet to confirm whether the AirPods 2 is in the pipeline. But by the looks of how well the AirPods performed in the market, it might only take a few months from now before consumers hear of new wireless Apple-branded earphones possibly with the above-mentioned improvements.
The first-generation AirPods cost $159 with a case that doubles as its charging hub.
