AirPods are about to get smarter: Apple is preparing new features in iOS 26

Apple will unveil a number of updates to AirPods at WWDC 2025, which kicks off on 9 June. These include camera controls, automatic pause when falling asleep, new head gestures, and improved audio playback.

Here's What We Know

According to 9to5Mac, Apple is working on a feature that will allow you to control the iPhone or iPad camera with the AirPods. Users will be able to take a photo by pressing the foot of the earpiece. The company is also testing a system that will automatically pause playback if the user falls asleep while wearing the headphones. It's not yet clear if this feature will work on its own or require the Apple Watch.

Expanded control via head gestures is also expected - such as volume control via Conversation Awareness. A new "studio-quality" microphone mode is also being developed, which should better filter out background noise - useful for those recording videos or podcasts.

Apple will also make it easier to connect AirPods to iPads in classrooms where the tablets are shared.

From the looks of it, Apple is increasingly looking to turn AirPods from simple headphones into a versatile tool for device management and user tracking.

Source: 9to5Mac